TRAGEDY IN BUSH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23029, 5 May 1938, Page 20

TRAGEDY IN BUSH

YOUTH FATALLY SHOT EVIDENCE AT INQUEBT 1 DEER-STALKING PARTY [BY TELEGRAI-H —OWN CORRESPONDENT] DUNEDIN. Wednesday An inquest into the death of James Ralph Clark, aged 15, son of Sirs. J. It. Clark, of Waitati, was the victim of a shooting fatality at Grenvale on Sunday afternoon was opened at Gore before Mr. A. Martin, J.P. After the hearing of evidence the proceedings were adjourned sine die in order that the rifle from which the fatal shot was fired could be forwarded to Wellington for expert examination. Leonard James Ritchie, a member of the party, • stated that ho had made arrangements with Clark and John Alexander Allan to go deer stalking on tho property of their employer on Sunday afternoon. They travelled tojjether for approximately two miles and a half, after which they separated, Allan taking tho left side, and Clark the centre. Clark, who had no rifle, was instructed to keep well behind witness and Allan. Statement by Companion "I heard a shot in the bush and at the same time two or three screams'," witness said. "Whilo running through the bush toward where the shot sounded I heard Allan cry out, 'l've shot Jim through the leg/ " Witness said he found Clark and Allan standing together in a clump of manuka. Clark was holding on to a branch and was bleeding badly from a wound in the leg. Witness assisted Allan to carry Clark to an open space, after which he went for assistance. He ascertained that Clark was standing about 10 yards from Allan when the shot was fired.

John Alexander Allan, who fired the fatal shot, said that when the party separated he instructed Clark to walk up the centre of the bush and to keep well behind his companions. "While kneeling down on the side of a slope, I heard a slight rustle in the scrub in front of me, witness said, "and having two bullets in my hand I placed one in the breech of the rifle, which I brought to my shoulder in readiness to fire. Thought Object was Deer

"I noticed a stationary object in the bush which jesembled a deer and after watching for about half a minute I saw what seemed to be a set of stag's horns moving slightly. I immediately fired and a scream was uttered from the spot." Mrs. Grace Kirkpatrick, a trained nurse, stated that she saw Clark a few minutes before he died. She was satisfied everything possible had been done for his comfort. Dr. Hastie, house surgeon at the Gore Hospital, said the cause of death was haemorrhage from the main artery of the thigh.