KARAKA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 125, 24 December 1915, Page 3

KARAKA.

A Farmer's Death An inquiry was held yo3'erJay (Thursday) at Kampsfield, Karaka, by the Coroner (Sir 0. Roadley) into the circumstancos attending the death of Mr Cecil George Urquhart, a Karaka farmer.

Constable Thornoll represented the Police Department. Alexander R. T. Urquhart identified tho body as that of his brother, aged 29, whom he had last seen alive the previous morning. He (witness) reached home in the evening ah >ut uine o'clock but deceased was not in the house. His mother c3'Jim9ntad on lho deceased's absence bus it was thought possible that he was visiting a neighbour as he occasionally did. His brother had neve- hinted at suicide and his actions did not lead him (witness) to suspect such a tendency. Mrs Mary Jane Urquhart deposed that deceased was her son and that he lived with her. Being anxious that he had not returned home the previous hight she got up early that morning and found his body lying in one of the padd< el's about half-a-mile from the house.

Dr Wake deposed that on examining the body he ifound that the heart had been perforated by a bullet which had evidently been discharged from a pearifle that was lying by his side when the body was discovered. In his opinion the wound was self-inflicted, there beiDg stains of powder on deceased's skin, the deceased having at the time of his death only worn a shirt on the upper part of his body. Constable Thoinell gave evidence as to having examined the pea rifle that was found beside deceased's body and it contained, he said, an empty cartridge in the breach. Alexander R. T. Urguhart (recalled) identified the pea rifle as having belonged to his brother. The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased died from a selfinflicted wound from a pea rifle bullet.