Sudden Deaths.

Patea Mail, 13 April 1882, Page 4

Sudden Deaths.

At the Patea Land Office, Mr Holmes, chief clerk in the Crown Lands department at Wellington, has been taking Mr Wray’s duty while the Commissioner is on leave of absence at Auckland. Mr Holmes was at the office yesterday morning, and appeared to be suffering from acute pain, which he described as being in the bones. He could not sit at the desk, and Mr Redgrave (of the survey office) fetched Dr Keating. He procured a niattress, and Mr Holmes lay down about two hours, and was then able to walk to the Albion Hotel, assisted a little. He went to bed, and .became easier under Dr Keating’s treatment. Towards night, however, he became worse; and Dr Keating being unable to attend him (having sprained his ankle severely), Dr Croft attended Mr Holmes at the hotel. The sufferer’s mind began to wander, and he was nnable to recognise familiar faces, except fitfully. Later at night he appealed easier, and was visited by Mr Arthur Haywood about half-past twelve, when he took a little gruel. About half-past two (morning side) he was heard moaning, and Mr A, Haywood (lying in the next room) visited him again, eased his position, and left him apparently easy and inclined to sleep. At half-past five Mr A. Haywood looked in again, when the patient seemed to be asleep. At half-past seven Mr A. Haywood entered the room, drew up the blind, and found the body lifeless. Dr Crolt was sent for, and said the patient had been dead some hours.

Mr Holmes’s family were informed by telegraph of the sad event. He is a very old servant of Government, having been forty years in Wellington, and connected with the Crown Lands Office most of that period. His age is 59

years. The Land Office at Patea is closed to-day, Mr Baggett being off dnty at present, Mr Wray in Auckland, and his substitute dead. The cause of death is certified to be gastric fever. Mr Holmes was uncle to Mrs Patterson, of Kakaramea. His family in Wellington (mostly grown up) numbers ten. P. LARSEN. The sudden death of Mr P. Larsen, carpenter, Patea, occurred this morning. He had been ailing about four days—constipation of the bowels—and was attended by Dr Croft. The Hospital Steward, Mr Donley, sat up with the patient several nights, the illness ending fatally this morning. Mr Larsen’s age was 83 years. He leaves a widow and four children, one only a fortnight old, and the eldest nearly nine years. The deceased was a Dane, and much respected as steady and straightforward in his transactions. He had been in Patea about eight years. MR HALSE. A telegram from New Plymouth this forenoon says:—Mr Halse, of Halse & Roy, solicitors,* was found dead in his bed this morning. He had called a meeting of his creditors for to-morrow. His affairs are said to be dreadfully involved.

Mr Halse’s sudden end, caused possibly by his financial failure, will be a shock to many. He was one of the oldest- settlers in Taranaki, and being largely respected for integrity, he was entrusted with moneys by many clients for investment. As a police-court advocate, he was reputed for settling more cases ont of court than he took into it; and his careful avoidance of any affair that seemed at all shady was the means of raising his repute as a respectable solicitor. The cause of his financial failure remains to be seen.