THE TURUA FATALITY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5181, 21 September 1927, Page 2

THE TURUA FATALITY.

DEATH OF THOMAS PERRY. VERDICT OF SUFFOCATION. A verdict of death from suffocation was returned by the district coroner, Mr W. H. Lucas, of Thames, Who held an inquest at Turua on Monday on the body of Thomas Perry, which was found on Sunday afternoon under a fallen haystack on the farm of Mr A. J. Heasman. From the evidence given it was shown that Perry was a. single man, aged about 50 years, whose home was in. Campbell Street, Thames. He was a labourer, and foi- the past fortnight had been employed as a farmhand by Mr A. J. Heasman, of Turua. Previously he had been employed at Awaiti by Mr Carter. Part of his duty on Mr Heasman’s farm was, to put out the hay for the cows. After having lunch deceased was seen walking to his shack, which was alongside the cowshed. At 3.30 p.m. Mrs Heasman noticed the haystack standing as usual, but half an hour later, when Mr Heasman was going to milk, he noticed that it had toppled over. Perry was not seen about, and it was then realised that he .was probably buried underneath. With the assistance of two neighbours (Messrs P. Tetley and W. H. Bayliss) the dense; hay was removed and eventually an arm was discovered. Clearing the head and shoulders, the three men dragged the body out. Dr. Lange, of Turua, had arrived in the meantime, but he could only pronounce life to be extinct, apparently as a result of suffocation. The haystack was about 12ft high, but a bench of hay about three feet high had not been removed. It was on this bench that the body was found, lying face downward with th-q arms outstretched. From the face of the stack to the untouched end was about nine feet, and the hay, being very closely packed, was difficult to move off the body. A verdict of death by suffocation was returned, in accordance with the opinion given by the doctor.