SHOOTING TRAGEDY

Southland Times, Issue 25312, 15 June 1935, Page 7

SHOOTING TRAGEDY

YOUNG MAN’S DEATH. CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER. (Per United Press Association.) Hastings, June 14. Arising out of a shooting tragedy which occurred in a whare in Hastings on May 3, in which a young man named Cedric Woodfield was fatally shot, a charge of manslaughter was preferred against Arthur John Walker, aged 19 years, before Mr J. Miller, S.M., at the Hastings Magistrate’s Court to-day. , „ Walker, deceased and two other youths were in the whare ,under friendly circumstances and were engaged in conversation when Woodfield was shot as the result of. a rifle which Walker was handling going off The charge against Walker was as follows: That on May 3, without lawful and sufficient excuse, he did present a loaded firearm and discharge same at Cedric Woodfield, so causing death and thereby committing manslaughter. Walker was further charged that without lawful and sufficient purpose, he did present a loaded firearm at Cedric Woodfield. Evidence was given regarding the circumstances in which the shot was fired, after which counsel for accused submitted that Walker was not conscious of the fact that by his action he was endangering the life of another person. He was taking the usual precaution of shooting the bolt and pressing the trigger before putting the rifle away. It was evident that in handling the rifle the cutoff had been released, causing a bullet in the magazine to lodge in the chamber and so be discharged when the trigger was pressed. Accused was committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Napier.