THE TARIKI FATALITY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 71, 14 March 1914, Page 5

THE TARIKI FATALITY.

INQUEST OPENED. An inquest was opened at New Plymouth yesterday before Mr A. Crooke, S.M. into the circumstances surrounding the death of Wilfred Arundell James, aged 141 years, a son of Mr Joseph Robert James, of Surrey Road. The only evidence taken was that of the father of the boy, who was not present when the accident occurred. The inquest was adjourned, pending medical and other evidence.

It appears that a /brother of the deceased boy and ho were at the Tariki Horticultural show on Thursday evening. Outside the hall where the show was being held was an improvised shooting gallery, which was attracting considerable attention. James stated that his deceased brother was, as far as he knew, running about near the range when he suddenly fell down amongst the group of young fellows who' were watching the shooting. His brother was informed of the occurrence, but on his arrival imagined that the hoy had merely, fainted, as there was no mark of any injury. The deceased boy was carried to the house of another brother, and as he did not recover, medical aid was summoned from Inglewood, when on examination a bullet wound was discovered in the abdomen. The boy was taken to the New Plymouth hospital, where he died. His brother also stated that the only protection which bystanders had from the bullets of the marksmen was that of a box, filled witli earth and placed behind the,target. This box, he said, had been found to be riddled with boles, and he could only surmise that the deceased boy had been running behind it when he was shot. weapon used was an ordinary Lee-Enfield magazine rifle, containing a Morris tube, which takes bullets of the calibre of a revolver. The barrel of the Lee-Enfield would of course make the carrying powers far beyond those of a pea rifle, db spite the insertion of the Morris tub.

Joseph Robert James, of Surrey road, Tariki, farmer, identified the body iu the Now Plymouth morgue as that of his son, Wilfred Arundel James. Ho last saw his son alive at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, when ho loft homo to go to his work at the Tariki post office. At about 0 o’clock on the same evening it was reported to witness that an accident had happened to bis son at the Tariki Horticultural show. Witness next saw deceased at the residence of another son of his, London James, at Tariki. Dr. Nutting, of Inglewood, attended deceased and ordered his removal to the New Plymouth hospital. Witness took deceased in a motor car to Inglewood, and then in another car to New Plymouth. He arrived at Hospital at about 1 a.in. yesterday. His son was aged ID years. This was the only evidence available, and the inquest was adjourned sine die.