ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

Southland Times, Issue 22293, 7 April 1934, Page 6

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

SHOT THROUGH HEART. (Per United Press Association.) Whangarei, April 6. Walter William John Shultz, aged 28, single, residing with his parents at Waipu, was shot through the heart when his gun was being dragged through a fence. His body was found two hours later by a younger brother. A verdict of accidental death was returned. DEATH FROM GUNSHOT WOUND. (Per United Press Association.) Waipukurau, April 6. The death occurred in tragic circumstances in the Porangahau district yesterday shortly after midday of Mr Herbert Eric White, aged 29, the son of well-known settlers. His body was found in a back shed on the Wangaehu station with a gunshot wound, which was revealed as the cause of death. At the inquest last evening before Mr Thomas Hobson, J.P., a verdict of death by a gunshot wound, self-inflicted while in a depressed state of mind was returned. The evidence showed that deceased had suffered from spinal meningitis when aged 15, and had never fully recovered. ALLEGED POISONING. (Per United Press Association.) Thames, April 6. Maurice Daniel Cobb, aged 19, whose parents reside at Thames, died last evening, allegedly from the effects of poison. It is reported that his mother found her son at the back door. The latter stated he had taken poison. A doctor was summoned, but Cobb was dead on his arrival. It is stated deceased attended football practice last evening in good spirits. He was a promising Thames junior representative last season. DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC. (Per United Press Association.) Hamilton, April 6. A Maori woman Margaret Barton, aged 19, died under an anaesthetic in a dentist’s rooms at Ngaruawahia today. EXPLOSION OF GELIGNITE. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, April 6. The explosion of a charge of gelignite caused serious injury to Charles Courtenay, aged 32, single, at Hoeotainui, near Morrinsville, this afternoon. The injured man was in a single men’s relief camp, and was employed, with a number of ethers, in the removing of stumps from a swamp. He had inserted the charge of gelignite in a stump, and had then moved to a safe distance. As the charge did not explode within the prescribed time, he returned to the stump to investigate. He was in the act of withdrawing the gelignite when it exploded. Courtenay received the force of the explosion in the face and chest. Both his eyes were injured, and he was partially blinded. He suffered numerous small wounds on the face and chest, but none was very deep. He also received a 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. He is a brother of Father Courtenay, a Roman Catholic priest at Huntley.