Inquiry Into Death Of Farmer

Chronicle (Levin), 1 December 1948, Page 4

Inquiry Into Death Of Farmer

. That Roulston ' Rutherford Smith, aged ,35, of Old Foxton Road, Shannon, met his , death as the result of a .22 calibre bullet penetrating his forehead was the finding of Mr.- J. S. Moir, district coroner, at the inquest held in Levin yesterday. The coroner stated that nothing had been indicated which could account for the discharge of the firearm. He -expressed the court's -sympathy with deceased's widow. Evidence was given by Mrs. 'Aylong Smith that she and her" husband were milking in the shed on their property on the evening of Sunday, October 17. She was in the act of readjusting a milking machine, which had dropped from a cow, when she heard the discharge of a rifle and saw • her husband, who had been standing by a cupboard, fall back on to the tfloor. She had gone for assistance, but her husband died before the 'arrival of a doctor. Milking machine. parts and a rifle were normally kept in the cupboard. She had once seen her husband take the gun out and shoot a hare from the milking shed. She did not know whether he had first loaded the rifle on that occasion or whether rounds were in the chamber. Dr. E. T. Cx. Miller, of Levin, and Constable" B. Watson, of Shannon, also gave evidence. The conStable stated that the rifle was lying beside the injured manw-hen he had arrived on the scene. The case of one cartridge was in the breech. There were no other rounds in the rifle. It was stated that Smith was a

member of the first echelon of the Second N.Z.E.F., and on his return ito New Zealand with the first furflough draft he had been dis- ; charged and had subsequently , taken over the farm at Shannon j under rehabilitation assistance. 1