DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 1 August 1932, Page 5

DOUBLE TRAGEDY

FOUND GASSED

FATE OF FATHER AND CHILD.

(Per Press: Association — 'Copyright.)

AUCKLAND, July 31. A double tragedy involving the death of a child aged s’years, and liis father, occurred in a flavin Wvnyard Street, on Saturday night, the bodies of the father and son - being discovered in bed this morning. The lather wa-s William Charles Morrison, . aged-50. years, a married man, residing apart from his wife-, while tine soil was John Albert Morrison, aged 'five an only chilld. M .

The boy, who lived with his mother, Mrs Ida Morrisori, a. nurse, of Northcote, 1 was visiting slier father for the week-end. The, child arrived on a viiyit to* the father on Friday afternoon. On Saturday the pair went .to see the League T<tet match at Carlaw Park, but before the- game was finished the father, who had been in ill-health for the past three months, complained of feeling unwell, and they returned to hit apartment. After they Iliad' taken their evening mea] the boy was put to bed about 9 o’clock, the father playing cards with tho owner, of the house and others until about 10.30, when lie re* tired, He then appeared to be depressed, uv'o:

About nine, oVJoi : this moiiit’rg, thie owner of the bouse went to the bedroom with the deceaiGod’ii breakfast, but, after knocking, she received no reply. She thn noticed a ; smell of . gas, apd she notified the other'residents of the house, one of whom summoned the police. The constables, on arrival, found both the father and son in bed;..,death', having taken, place: several hours previously. The. bodies were lying side by side in a tihree-quartcy sized bed. Tho father, who was dressed in pyjamas and a .shirt, was lying, on his back in natural'position, while thd son, w'ho Was also in his night attire, lay in a similar attitude of refiose. Ijoth were covered by blankets, and two rug's which were' not disturbed.'( The constables discovered that gas ' had bom allowed to escape from a gas heater, which w*as turned, on, -but ' not lighted, and stood at the foot of the bed. This heater was connected with Several feet of flexible t'ubiiig 'to") a gas stove fed through a slot meter.* That the tragedy was not accidental was shown by the fact that the two windows in the room .wire closely shut. A scarf had, beep placed over a crack at the top of the door, and an old r sheet had been stuffed into a ventilator in the. kitchenette adjoining the bedroom. 1 * . . •

In the pocket- of the eon’s pyjamas wtffe' £■ TiftW; "asking hk father to'“tell him fairy stories in the morning.” Morrison wnts formerly in the employ of the Electric Power Board, whoso service lie joined m 1919. He saw war service, losing one leg, and on his return rejoined the Board’s staff. About three montlis ago he retired, giving his reason ill health, and stating that, after a holiday, lie intended to join his sS?ter in business in New Plymouth.

On his retirement, Tributes to- his work.were paid by members of till© Board. His mother, Mrs Isaac Morrison, is a resident of New Ply mouth J