ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6125, 11 March 1898, Page 4

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

[Per Press Association.! DUNEDIN, March 10. John Storey, a labourer aged 7S, was found dead in his hut at "VVaitahuna. Death is supposed to be due to natural causes. A SINGULAR ACCIDENT. A peculiar accident occurred at the Temuka rifle range on Wednesday. Sergeant Arthur Clinch, Corporal Storey and Privates H. Opie and H. Ayers were engaged in practice for a coming match and took turns in couples to score. Privates Opie and Ayers were, in the markers' hut, when the former was struck by pieces of a bullet. He received a gash on the nose, the cartilage being nearly severed; several pieces of lead struck him on the scalp, his hands were grazed, and he sustained a severe cut on one leg, besides some slighter abrasions. Private Ayers -waa untouched. Private Opie was despatched to the town and had his injuries, which are not very serious, dressed by Mr S. Wightman, a local chemist. His companions were naturally concerned at the accident, and made inquiry as to how it could have occurred. It seems the ammunition was generally defective, some cartridges not exploding in either rifle. Sergeant Clinch was firing • at the time at 500yds, and had been scoring fairly well. The markers' hut is roofed -with two old targets, with a small space between where they overlap. Into this space the bullet had penetrated, struck a projection, and splintered as mentioned. - A man named Joseph Burgess was sent jn by train from Oxford last night, and -taken to the hospital, where he was found to be badly bruised about the head and body. On both the right and left Side - iome of his rib3 were broken. "It appears •Jihat his injuries arose through a quarrel ■with another man about a piece of soap. His alleged assailant was brought down by the same train, and safely lodged in gaol pending an inquiry. A collision took place yesterday afternoon on the Factory Road, Kaiapoi, between two cyclists, who were travelling in opposite directions. One of them, a youth, who was on the wrong side, had his machine smashed.