SUICIDE VERDICT

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1933, Page 5

SUICIDE VERDICT

N.Z. OLYMPIC BOXER’S DEATH,

SEQUEL TO GIRL FRIEND’S

DEATH

(Per Press Associazion — Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, April 24

An inquest was held to-day into the death of Harold Frederick Thomas, tlie lightweight boxer, who represented New Zealand at the last Olympic Games, and who was killed by ia train at Thorndon Station oii the night of March 29.

Airs Mary Kirk, mother of the girl to whom Thomas was about to become engaged, said that her daughter had died -in the hospital of bright’s disease on March 29, and Thomas, in a subsequent conversation said that lie had been about to become engaged to her.

He seemed'•depressed, but he was quite cheerful when he left about 9 p.m., and said that he would call again in the morning. Stewart Donald McCollum, a passenger on tile train on which the deceased travelled from Lambton said that Thomas got up from hie seat, half

minute after the train got under way and he went on to the platform. He then climbed on to the telescopic handrails, and jumped down between the rails. His action was apparently quite deliberate, and witness had no time to prevent him. The Coroner, Mr Gilbertson, expressed the opinion that Thomas took a train ticket intending to commit suicide, in desperation, owing' to the girl’s death, and he gave a verdict that Thomas committed suicide while mentally depressed.

"It is a thousand pities,” he added, "that a fine young fellow* like this should take his own life. It is a great pity that he wa.s not sufficiently controlled to overcome thi = thing.”