SERIOUS WOUND IN ABDOMEN

Southland Times, Issue 24681, 28 February 1942, Page 6

SERIOUS WOUND IN ABDOMEN

MAN PLAYS JOKE ON SON SHOT FIRED BY YOUTH (P.A.) WHANGAREI, Feb. 27. Shot in the abdomen at pointblank range, Steven Urlich. a Dalmation settler, of Houhora, in the far north, lies critically ill in the Mangonui district hospital at Kaitaia. The occurrence appears to be the aftermath of nervous tension in the district caused when a halfcaste ran amok in the nearby settlement of Waihopo ten days ago. Yesterday afternoon Urlich left his home on the gumfields eight miles north of Houhora to visit a friend who had that day been discharged from Kaitaia hospital. He left his horse tethered outside the house. When about to return, he found that the animal had broken away. Urlich set off to walk and when near a fence situated some distance from his home was seen by one of his sons aged 16|. In the darkness the son did not recognize his father and thinking the stranger was a trespasser, called to him. The father, intent on playing a practical joke upon the boy, did not reply and continued to approach. In view of recent happenings on the gumfields involving Dalmatians, the boy became frightened. Going inside he obtained a shotgun, slipped a cartridge into the breech and kept calling: “Who are you? What do you want?” Meanwhile, the father continued advancing, still intent on the joke, not knowing his son had a shotgun. When only 10 yards separated the two, the son fired, Urlich, senior, receiving the full charge in his abdomen. He immediately shouted to his son; “You’ve shot me.” An older brother who had gone in another direction to stalk the supposed trespasser, then arrived on the scene and the two carried the father inside. One boy ran to the house of a neighbour, Mr McManus, a quarter of a mile away. Mr McManus immediately set out for the post office eight miles distant and rang for the constable at Houhora. The injured man was admitted to the Kaitaia hospital at 2 a.m. today and was operated upon immediately. His condition is stated to be critical.

In statements to the police the father was emphatic that the whole incident was his own fault through trying to play a silly joke on his son.