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FATAL BUSHFELLING ACCIDENT AT RAETIHI -
A lamentable bushfelling accident happened
here on Saturday, the 12th inst. Mr George Prentice, a respected
settler of this district, and his two boys, were felling bush on his
own section, and it seems that the second eldest boy was up in a
tauwa tree lopping the large limbs off. The father and other boy
were driving a white pine on to the standing trunk of a matai, the
boy being some distance sideways from the direction the trees were
going. As it happened, however, the matai trunk went sideways, right
into the tauwa that the boy was lopping, and struck him across the back.
Death was instantaneous.
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In fact, from what I can learn, it is a wonder
that they were not all killed, as when the driving tree was going, the
father and the brother ran in the direction where the boy was lopping the
tauwa, and the unfortunate lad dropped out of the tree almost at his
father's feet. The family are highly respected throughout the district, and
this boy was especially noted for being very civil and obliging. It seems
the irony of fate that our most deserving settlers suffer the greatest
misfortunes, and Mr and Mrs Prentice have the heartfelt sympathy of their
neighbours throughout the district.
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