INQUEST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 376, 23 April 1908, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest touching the death of William Henry Cameron, was held at the deceased’s late residence, Johnson Street, on Tuesday afternoon, before Alf. Fraser, Esq. (coroner), and the following jury: Messrs A. Speirs (foreman), P. T. Robinson, John Nicholson, John McDowell, S. Robson, and Walter Henry Alzdorf. Dr. Mandl deposed that he was summoned to seethe deceased, and round life to be extinct. At the request of the Coroner he made a post moilein examination of the body. On examining the heart, witness found signs of old standing pericarditis and other complications. The condition of the heart being quite sufficient to cause death after any strain. William Howie, flax-overseer for the Moutoa Syndicate, deposed to having seen the deceased loading a dray in conjunction with a man named Saville. When the dray was half-loaded witness observed deceased stagger and fall back. Witness thought deceased had been seized with a fit. Deceased was in the dray at the'time. Witness loosened deceased’s clothing and idiffered what assistance he could in order to lestorc consciousness, but without avail. Drove deceased to Foxlon, and sent Saville ahead to obtain medical assistance. Saville met Dr Wall, who, after inspecting the body of deceased, pronounced life to be extinct. Then conveyed the body to deceased’s residence. In reply to a juryman, witness stated that deceased showed signs of life for about 20 minutes after he was first seized. There was no sign of a quarrel, and the two men were working quietly together loading flax. To the Coroner; Deceased was standing in the cart taking delivery of the bundles. Samuel Saville deposed to having been working with deceased, ; leading a dray. Deceased appeared in his usual health. He made no complaint, and drove away and returned later for another load. After 17 bundles had been loaded, deceased threw the last bundle down and was in the act of taking the next bundle , from witness, when he turned , round and made as if to get off the , dray. Witness asked deceased what was the matter, and he replied that he did not know. Deceased then fell over towards , witness and witness supported him on the dray till Mr Howie got up. Witness then corroborated previous witness’ statements. To the police; As far as witness could judge, deceased appeared in his usual health and spirits that

morning. In reply to a juryman, witness did not think that deceased was over-taxing his strength while lifting the bundles, which were about the average size. Johannah Cameron, wife of deceased, stated that her husband left home at 7.30 on Monday morning, and he then appeared to be in his usual state of health. He had not made any complaint at all during the previous week. The jury returned a verdict “that the deceased, William Henry Cameron, came by his death on Monday, 20th April, 1908, from heart failure, and in accordance with medical evidence.”