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Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13775, 16 July 1913, Page 3 (Supplement)

A shooting accident occurred at Ap!pleby on Sunday when a lad, Jack Mason, aged 16, blew the index finger of his right hand- off with a muzzleloading gun. It appears that ho and a friend were out after hares, and oil getting over a fence the lad had his finger over the muzzle of the gun and the charge exploded, with tho above result. The two walked to Mr. Harry Best's place, and Mr. Best drove the injured boy to Dr. Baird, who with Dr Andrew operated on him. Ho was then taken by Dr. Andrew to the Stoke Orphanage, of whioh ho was previously an inmate, being at the tirao of tiro accident in the empioj of Mr. F. Stratford, Hope.

Messrs Holyoake and Wright, of Motueka, had a miraculous escape- fi om death when returning to Moiueka from Takaka on Sunday last, says the "Times." When descending the Takaka Hill on tho other side tho horse they were drivng went over the side cf the road near *;he three-mile peg, precipitating tlio sulky and its occupants a distanco of about 50 feet down in the gulry below. The sulky was badly damaged, both shafts being broken, and tho hi.rse sustained several scratches, but the occupants of the gig fortunately escaped unhurt.

On ■ Saturday evening the jewellery establishment'of Mr. Louis Kerr was brilliantly lighted by electric light, and tho illumination attracted considerable notice. A representative of this paper was invited to inspect tho installation, and was able to witness another evidence of how well industries »ro catered for in these days: by the # electrical and nxcha.nic.al engineer a.ike. Sir. Kerr ha, s recently erected a new workshop" at somo distance behind hw Bhop, ■and «s the manufacturing jeweller t» bo ui>to-date requires jpower for certain machines, he installed a National gas engine and determined to use the opoortunity afforded to illuminate botli workroom and shop by electric light. The enjrine is of a special tyix> tor the dual purposes and for lighting purposes i* connected with an Electromotors dynamo enabling lights aggrogatin?; one thoupiuid candle power to bo. .obtained from a two horse power engine. Uoth engine and dynamo are s&ll-gov-erniiv which onabk-a whole or I^rtial lighting to bo carried out at will without any further adjustment from Oiat made at tho start of tho day or evetiinP. Saturday's trial of the install^ tion proved highly successful. The installation wa« niado by Messrs. J. JNiven pud Co. under tho direction or Mr Pierard. Mr. Kerr, oonuoqueat upon the erection-of-the new workshop, and the installation of pewr h*» P^ in new machines, and has a thoroughly modorn plant, the extent of^-hicU sliowb that the local wduywy is well patronised.

Fern-poissoning is almost unknown in this district, although it ib xarriv prevalent in other parts of tho Dominion, but two cafios have occurred recently, one at Takaka and tuo other at.iokororo, which should prove a warning to farmers to keep their eatt* oh young forn Mr. Alfred Cotton, of Lruwhenua, had the misfortune last week to lose seven head of two year old heifers, and there being sonxo douot as to the cause of death, the services of Mr. O. C Empson, Government stock inspector, wero -requisitioned, and he made a post mortem examination of one ot the beasts, and found that it had died from fern poisoning. The cat tie had been grazing upon some recently broken up land on whicn fern was shooting, and it was not know that there was any risk as the oeasteapparently relished this particular kind of pasture. 'The same* week Mr. Boyea, of Pokororo, had a similar expenonee, losing nine head of cattle from the same cause. Apparently the young fern docs not affect the animals to any irro«t extent when there is plenty ot grass about, but after a dry season when feed is scarce they take to the fern very readily. The juice breaks down the blood vessels and allows clots of. blood to form in *}i« i^eatmos. . At first there is only a slight discoloration in tho excrement, but it gradually increases until before death the animals pass blood only. It .seems also to have the effect of an irritant poison, softening the coating of the stomach until it can be torn away in shreds. In the case of the animal examined at Umwhonna tho intestines were found full of blood, white tho heart and arteries were empty. Owing to tuo peculiarity of the case, Mr. Clayton, the Government veterinary surgeon, paid a visit to Takaka and Pokororo, and ho confirmed Mr. Empson's opinion as to .the cause of death. A block of greenstone, weighing 1 ton 13 cwt is being sent from Westland to tlie Leipzig International. Building Trades and Aliicd Societies Exhibition.