HUKERENUI MAN SHOT.

Northern Advocate, 7 May 1914, Page 7

HUKERENUI MAN SHOT.

THE DEADLY PEA-BIFLE v

Mr J. E. Morgan, licensee of the Hukerenui Hotel, was shot in the leg on Tuesday evening and is now under Dr. WalkeVs care at "Braeside."

Mr Morgan told an "Advocate" reporter this morning that 1 he knew neither who had fired the shot nor where it came from. He had left the bar in the hotel at about 5 o'clock and was engaged in one of the out-buildings in the hotel yard when suddenly he felt a stabbing pain i*..the leg and. heard the report of a rifle. He knew at once that he had been shot, and managed to walk back to the hotel, where the rwoumd was temporarily dressed, and a message was sent to Dr. Walker who, upon arrival, ordered the, sufferer's immediate removal to the hospital.

The bullet entered the front of the Tight thigh about nine inches above the knee, and passing through the fleshy part, just missing the bone by a hairs-breadth, emerged a' couple of inches above the back of the knee. An indication of the force with which the bullet struck may be gathered from the fact that although it passed through a corrugated iron wall before entering Mr Morgan's leg and ploughing through over six inches of flesh, it had still sufficient velocity to bury itself deeply in the earth some distance away. The "bullet, which was recovered, could easily bo identified as the ordinary of pea-rifle pellet which, though not large, is capable of dealing serious injury or even death to the unfortunate person who happens to be in its way.

Mr Morgan (very naturally, perhaps) thinks the pea-rifle should be "blotted off the face'or tho earth." Certainly it should" not be part of the equipment of boys and'irresponsible youths.

It is rather a singular thing that 14 years ago* Mr, Morgan had the misfortune to have his right ami shot off through a gun accident, and that now lie should conic so perilously near to losing his right leg also from a stray bullet.