CHARGE EXPLODES.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12616, 7 April 1934, Page 6

CHARGE EXPLODES.

WOUNDS ON FACE AND CHEST

Electric Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, April 6. The explosion of a* charge of geligJiote caused a serious injury to Cecil Courtney, aged 32 single, at fioe-o-Tainui, near Alorrinsville. this afternoon .

The injured man was in a single men’s relief camp, and was employed with a number of others in removing stumps from the swamp. He had inserted a charge of gelignite in a stump and had then moved to a safe clistance. As 11 1 0 ciliarge c!id n<>t explode within the prescribed time he returned to the stump to investigate. He was in the act of withdrawing the gelignite when it exploded.

Courtney received the force of the explosion in the face and chest Both his eyes were injured, and he was partially blinded. Ho suffered numerous small wounds on tin face and chest, but none was very deep. He also received laceration of the left arm and suffered severely from shock.

The injured man’s condition is fairly serious, although it is believed his eyesight will be saved Ho is a brother of Father Courtney, Roman Catholic priest at Huntly.