Suicide Whilst In State Of Severe Mental Depression

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 96, 7 November 1947, Page 5

Suicide Whilst In State Of Severe Mental Depression

Inquest On Hanging Of Nuk'uhou Farmhand

Suicide whilst in a state of severe mental depression was the verdict when the adjourned inquest into the death of Norman Ihaia Twist (who was found hanged in the cowshed of Mr B. L. Burnett’s farm, Nukuhou, near Waimana, on November 1) was concluded on Tuesday, by Mr C. S. Armstrong, District Coroner.

Constable G. Thomassen, of Taneatua, who represented the police, stated that at about 8.50 on the morning of November 1, Twist left Burnett’s home to go to his own room, having told Mr Burnett, for whom he was working, that he was going to get ready for a game of tennis at Waimana. About half an hour later, Mr Burnett saw Twist standing near the milk vat at the cowshed. About 9.45 Mr Burnett went to the shed and found Twist hanging

by a rope from a rafter with his

feet about 9 inches from the floor. " Feeling the pulse he found no sign of life and went for help. A neighbour, Mr W. E. McGillivray, arrived and help to take the body down, afterwards applying artificial respiration for about fifteen minutes without result. Deceased Was Worried Burnett’s evidence confirmed the police statement and indicated that, while Twist had never said anything to suggest he would take his life, he had seemed worried about some trouble he had been in with the

police and an incident he feared might involve him in further trouble. Otherwise, he had always seemed quite contented and was a good

worker. In his own evidence Constable Thorhassen said there were no suspicious circumstances and gave it as his opinion that Twist apparently

committed suicide in a fit of depression, having been on bail to appear before the Supreme Court this month. That, in conjunction with another matter that might have involved police inquiries, seemed to have been the cause of his depression.