INQUEST

Opotiki News, Volume X, Issue 1046, 14 November 1947, Page 2

INQUEST

YOUNG MAN’S DEATH SUICIDE UNDER MENTAL DEPRESSION Suicide while ip a state of severe mental depression was the verdict when the adjourned inquest into the death of Norman Ihaia Twist (who was found hanged in the cow’shed of Mr. B. L. Burnett’s farm, Nukuhou, near Waimana, on November I) was concluded by Mr. C. S. Armstrong, Whakatane District Coroner. Constable C. Thomassen, of Taneatua, who represented the police, stated that at about 8.50 on the morning of November 1, Twist left Burnett’s home to go to his own room, having told Mr. Burnett, for whom he was working, that he was going tc; get ready for a game of tennis at Waimana. About half an hour later, Mr. Burnett saw Twist standing near the milk vat at the cowshed.

About 9.45 Mr. Burnett went to the shed and found Twist hanging by a rope from a rafter with his feet about 9 inches from the floor. Feeling the pulse he found no sign of life and went for help. A neighbour, Mr. W. E. McGillivray, arrived and helped to take the body down, afterwards applying artificial respiration for about fifteen minutes without result. Burnett’s evidence confirmed the police statement and indicated that, while Twist had never said anything to suggest lie would take liis life, he had seemed worried about some trouble he had been in with the police and an incident he feared might involve him in further trouble. Otherwise, he had always seemed quite contented and was a good worker. In his own evidence Constable Thomassen said there were no suspicious circumstances and gave it as his opinion that Twist apparently committed suicide- in a lit of depression, having been on bail to appear before the Supreme Court this month. That, in conjunction with another matter that might have involved police inquiries, seemed to have been the cause of his depression.