DEAD IN BED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 113, 5 January 1932, Page 5

DEAD IN BED

(Press. Assn.-

TRAGIC DfSCOVERY FINDS FATHER SUFFOCATED BY ESCAPE. " OF GAS DARGAVILLE BUSINESS MAN

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

DARGAVILLE, Monday. The death has taken place under somewhat tragic circumstances of Mr Alex Barlass, a well-known Dargaville business man. His wife and eldest son left for Hamilton last night. Another son went to a West Coast beach, the father remaining in the house alone. The son returned to town this morning between seven and eight o'clock, and receiving no response to his knock entered the living apartments above the shop and found his father dead in bed. To all appearances deceased had been reading in bed by gaslight, and on turning the gas off evidently knocked a rubber tube from the main supply. The window and door being closed, deceased was suffoeated. Mr Barlass was a prominent Freemason and Oddfellow, and a member of the Scottish Society and other institutions. He was an ex-Borough

Couneillor, a'nd at the time of his_ death was chairman of the library eommittee. He was also well knowr in soeial circles. 41 He had been in Dargaville in business for ten'years Formerly he was in Auckland, and just prior to coming to Dargaville was engaged in fruit farming at Kumeu. He is survived by his wife and two sons. &An inquest was opened and acljourned.