SHOT BY ACCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1924, Page 6

SHOT BY ACCIDENT.

THE MAHOENUI FATALITY. EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. That Quia Te Rira, the seven-year-old Maori girl who was shot dead at Mahoenui on September 11, died as the result of an accident, was the verdict returned by the jury of four which heard the evidence at the inquest. The fatality was due to a little boy named Pukunui Kahn, nine years of age, who fitted together a ■ breech-loading shotgun when the owner was some distance aw’ay eel-fishing, accidentally firing it in the direction of the little girl. The inquest was conducted by Constable Blaikie. of Mokau, before Mr. E. Moore, J.P., acting-coroner, and a jury consisting of Messrs. N. D. Jones (foreman), A. H. Rattenbury, E. Rattenbury and C. S. Roberts.

It was shown that the party -was returning from pig-hunting, and at about 7.30 in the evening had stopped on the way to do some eel-fishing. Tukino Ratima, who was the leader of the party, had been using a doublebarrelled breech-loading shotgun, in which a cartridge had become stuck. For safety the barrel was taken off the stock, Tukino carrying the barrel, and Pukunui Kahn, a boy of nine years of age, being entrusted with the stock. When the party stopped to fish. Tukino put the rifle down and Kahu, fitting it together, apparently pulled the trigger, and thus exploded the cartridge, the charge entering the cheek of Quia, and passing upward through her head, causing instantaneous death. Kahu was unaware that the gun was loaded. After the accident Tukino carried the body of the girl to her home, his action, under the circumstances, being commended by the jury. He again broke the gun and threw it away into the scrub. It was, however, recovered by him when he conducted Constable Blaikie to the scene of the accident, and it was taken possession of by the constable, who said it was a much worn weapon and was easily put together; the boy Kahu said he had put the gun together on a previous nrvasio’'.