DREADFUL SUICIDE OF MR. PERSTON.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 240, 16 July 1872, Page 3

DREADFUL SUICIDE OF MR. PERSTON.

We sincerely regret to announce the death, by his own hand, of Mr Matthew John Perston, the well-known Secretary of the Kauaeranga Board, which melancholy event occurred last evening. Whilst the Board was sitting, Mr Catueron, the Engineer, discovered marks of blood outside an inner room of the premises, in Sealey-street, where the Board holds its meetings. Having his suspicions aroused, the door was burst open, and Mr Perston was found in a kneeling position on the floor, with a rifle between his legs, and a bullet wound through his forehead. He was apparently quite dead. Medical aid was at once sent for, and the police communicated with. Dr Kilgour was shortly afterwards in attendance, and, after a brief examination, pronounced life to be extinct. From a perusal of the report of the proceedings at last night’s meeting, it will be seen that there was strong ground for suspecting that Mr Perston had used a sum of money belonging to the Board, and this, probably, so preyed on his mind as to induce him to commit the rash act which has had so fatal a termination. Mr Perston was widely known, and much respected, and, up to Jtiie present time, we never heard a stain cast upon his character. He enjoyed the confidence of the present Board, and of that previously in office, was an efficient and obliging official, and aman of superior education and attainments. He was a native of Glasgow, and had neon in the Colony some years. He h aves a wife and large family. An inqm-st will be held to-day. This is one of the most melancholy events which has occurred here since the opening of the field, and will, we are sure, be read of with very general regret.