ACCIDENTALLY SHOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19032, 1 June 1925, Page 10

ACCIDENTALLY SHOT.

BOY FATALLY WOUNDED. OUT HARE SHOOTING ALONE. USED GUN BUTT TO KILL QUARRY. r B Y XELECRArH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] GISBORNE. Saturday. Richard Ash worth, aged 17 years, a son of Mr. Omerod Ashworth, who is employed on the public wqrks at Tarewa, went shooting at 4 p.m. yesterday. He had a double-barrelled gun and shot a hare. He ran up to it and found it was not, quite dead. Taking the gun by the barrel he struck the hare with the stock. The blow set off the other barrel, the charge entering the lad's side. Being near the house lie called for help. The father and mother went to his assistance and doctors were summoned. The injured lad was taken in the ambulance to the CJisborno Hospital arriving thero at 1 a.m. but ho died half an hour later. An inquest was opened and the deceased's father gave evidence. He stated that his son was out shooting hares near his house at Tarewa. Ho was alone at the time, and witness' wife heard cries from him. They went to seo what was wrong and on leaving the house saw their son lying on tho side of the hill. He rolled over once or twice and on going to him they found that he was shot in the groin. Tho deceased said, I killed a hare with the butt of the gun after I had wounded it. The other barrel went off." He was fully conscious until a few minutes before his death.