MINER’S SUICIDE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 242, 3 January 1928, Page 16

MINER’S SUICIDE

DETERMINED TO END LIFE (From Our Own -..-. respondent / WAIHI, To-day. While working in a milking shed on Mr. E. Heath’s farm near Tauranga bridge, Waihi, at about seven o’clock on Sunday morning, Mr. Miam Leo. Meagher heard the noise of an explosion, and on investigating the cause found the body of a man lying in the Ohinemuri River in about four feet of water. The police were at once notified, and on the body being removed it proved to be that of Mr. Alfred Hoskine, a retired miner, who had resided in a shanty near-by. The left side of the face was completely shattered and the left hand was missing, this evidently having been blown off in the explosion. On a table in deceased’s shanty about £ 10 In notes and silver were found, and a note saying, “Good-bye all, an end to my miserable life.” Deceased had evidently determined to take his own life, and had presumably stood on the bank of the river holding an explosive to his face, and was knocked into the water. Deceased, who, it appears, had suffered from severe headaches for the past six months, was a native of England and about 72 years of age. He had followed goldmining for many years in Australia and New an< * k ad taken part in several of the noted gold rushes in Western Australia.

As far as is known Mr. Hoskine was a bachelor with no relatives in this country but had been heard to speak of one brother in England and another m Australia. An inquest was held on xri S M' a^t,?' f u ernoon ’ when the coroner, AUnut’ returned a verdict of death by suicide.