MAN, ACCIDENTALLY SHOT, DIES BEFORE ARRIVAL OF HELP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18424, 28 March 1928, Page 10

MAN, ACCIDENTALLY SHOT, DIES BEFORE ARRIVAL OF HELP.

PARTIES MAKE ALL NIGHT SEARCH OVER ROUGH COUNTRY.

The young man, Andrew Neil Henderson. of Oxford, who accidentally shot himself with a rifle on Monday morning, was found dead when a party which went to his assistance reached the camp beyond Lees Valley yesterday morning.

The party which left Oxford on Monday afternoon when news of the accident arrived, consisted of Dr L. D. Burnett, Messrs R. Henderson, K. Henderson, C. Bassett, T. P. Duckworth and E. 11. Buckridge. They tramped all night but, taking the wrong lead, missed the gully in which the victim of the accident and his companion, Colin Bassett, had their camp. In the meantime another party, which made its way towards the camp by a different route, arrived, after a night of rough travel, only to find the young man beyond (human aid. The country is so hilly and rough that it was impossible to get the body out to Lees Valley yesterday, nearly thirty miles having to be travelled to Mr Duckworth's place in the valley and thence to Oxford, another twentythree miles. It was expected that the party would not reach Oxford before midday to-day.

The bullet passed through Henderson’s right breast and shoulder blade. The party which missed the gullv later came upon the camp. Prior to this Mr Duckworth had turned back to bring more provisions for the searchers.