INQUEST.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5222, 4 January 1928, Page 2

INQUEST.

♦-! ( DEATH OF MR G. P. VERDICT ON EVIDENCEThe taking of evidence, at the in- . ■ quest in, connection with- .the drea'Ci of Mr Garratt Peter Barry, 'the Royal Mail Hotel, Paeroa, on Thursday morning last, was continuecSbefore Mr F. E. Flatt, district at the local Courthouse on afternoon. .

The first witness was Andrew T. Barry, retired farmer, Whangarei. He said that tjie dejeeas ed was his brother, and that he a single man, aged 50 years. His/ brother was on active service/* for about three ye-ars. Prior to enlisting he had been a healthy man, on his return to New Zealand health was wrecked. Although not Wounded he .had been gassed at the war, ■and had occasion to visit a doctor several times since returning from the W ar - Deceased had not made a will, as far as witness knew, but of his own know-, ledge, he was not short of money/ Deceased had had to relinguish farming on account of his poor state of health.

Katherine V. Hague-Smith, 'whoso mother is licensee of thei Royal\Mail Hotel, Paeroa, said that her was in Auckland, but she was spending the holidays with her inotjjs/aiid sister at the hotel. Witness knew deceased, who had lived at tlie hotel for some and continuously during the Christmas week. -In conversation with deceased witness gathered that his heart was affected- and he quite, often spent the day in bed. On the day preceding his death deceased said lie would take a day in bed, but he was quite bright and cheerful, and took some milk and soup. Witness last saw deceased at 6.30 o’clock oil Wednesday night, when she took him some soup. Deceased did not show any signs of having taken liquor, and there was certainly no liquor in the ' bedroom. Witness said she had knowndeceased to take a drink, but had never seen him under the influence of liquor in the slightest degree. Deceased was a good-humoured man, and a gentleman. . To the coroner witness said that deceased had not complained about the soup or milk. In- fact, he appeared to enjoy the nourishment. , He fre-. queritly remarked that he was ,a sick man.

John J. Goonan, barman at the Royal Mail. Hotel, deposed to knowing deceased intimately during the past seven months. He corroborated the evidence! of the previous witness, and said that deceased was one of ‘he most respected boarders in the houseHe had never drunk to excess, although he> often took glass'of ale, and when his heart was bad. he had been known to take a brandy. On tlie Thursday morning a fellowboarder named Cooiiey found deceaseddead in his bed, and witnes£NHtell up tlie; doctor and the .police.

Dr. Fogg, recalled, said that under the conditions in which the deceased had been found the possibility that he had died from suffocation could not be entertained. He w,as of the opinion that death had been- caused, by toxaemia (an early stage of pneumonia) bringing about heart failure. Deceased was not a strong man. Referring to his previous evidence, witness said that asphyxia was the result rather than the cause of death.;

In traversing the evidence the coroner said that as far as could be judged he had formed the opinion that alcohol had not been a contributory cause of death. No doubt deceased had taken drink, but it h,ad been taken rationally and without any suggestion of excess. It ,wias evident that, deceased was far from being in good health, and no doubt his condition was accelerated by the fact that he had been gassed at tne war. The verdict would be in accordance with the medical testimony, that death had been caused by toxaemia, accelerated by an early stage of pneumon’a, bringing about heart failure.