BULLET WOUNDS GIRL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 12

BULLET WOUNDS GIRL.

COLLAPSE OUTSIDE HOUSE.

INCIDENT LATE AT NIGHT,

RIFLE FOUND IN A DRAIN.

PATIENT'S CONDITION SERIOUS

With a bullet wound just below tho heart, Miss Florence Home, aged 19, collapsed at tho back door of the residence of Mr. Edward Fahey, a farmer, of Bombay, about 10.30 o'clock on Sunday night, the noise of her fall awakening the family.

Mr. Fahey found tho girl on the back verandah. Her clothing was soaked by rain and mud, and she had apparently collapsed from exhaustion and endeavoured to attract attention by knocking. When efforts were made to restore her it was seen that she was wounded, and Dr. McWhirtcr and Sergeant Cowan wore summoned from Pukekohe. Later ChiefDel ectivo Hammond and other detectives wero sent from Auckland.

The girl was brought by ambulance to tho Auckland Hospital in a semi-conscious condition. It was found that the clothing round the wound was singed, indicating that the weapon had been discharged close to the body. An operation was performed at tho hospital and the bullet was extracted. Last evening tlio patient's condition was stated to be serious.

Investigations at Mr. Fahey's place revcalod the girl's footprints leading from the house to a drain about 20yds. a'way, and there a repeating rifle with a discharged cartridge in tho chamber was found. The magazine had been fully loaded.

In a statement the girl said she had borrowed the rifle from an acquaintance at Ararimu. She intended to use it for rabbit shooting and it had discharged accidentally.

Miss Home resided for some time in the Bombay district, but had lately stayed with friends at Ararimu.