DEATH OF WR G. H. WELCH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8160, 18 June 1906, Page 5

DEATH OF WR G. H. WELCH.

A very sad occurrence, and one that has evoked great . sympathy throughout the whole district, took place at Miki Miki on Saturday morning, when Mr George H. Welch, a well-known farmer of that district, committed suicide. It seems that the deceased went away from his home after breakfast, taki&g with him his gun. He was not seen again alive, but his son, Claude, aged 14 years, subsequently found the body in a paddock on a pile of burning wood, with the gun lying near. It would seem that the deceased must have shot himself while lying upon the lighted wood. The police were communicated with, and the body was takeu to the morgue in the afternoon. ■An inquest was held, yesterday > afternoon, »in the Masterton Courthouse, before Mr W. P. James, Coroner, and a jury, cjnsieting of Messrs A. P. FeUding, H. D.Bennett, E. Egan, T. Smith, T. Miller, and M, Petersen, was sworn in. Mr. F. P. Welch, a brother of the deceased, stated thathis brother had, been in very indifferent health, for years past, practloally ejuee, fa,e \osk rhis wife,.fourteen, yea?a;, ago, a,nd ■ more especially. JaMS- He sugjered ! very mijQh from iaspranja. phased • appeared very d< passed 6& PfWax ! "last, and said that his mind appeared ! to be gone, and that he did not know ! what be was doing. Many, timet he" ! bad said that life was not worth living for, or words to tbat effect. Deceased bad no financial troubles. After farther evidence bad,been, beard, the jury returned, a verdict : that deceased committed suicide i while io a state of temporary insanity. ♦The late Mr G. ti. Welch was a member of the' well-known atid highly-respected Weioh family. Deceased was 46Iyears of age, and wai born at Tai" Tal (Hutt). He had been a resident of tbia district since 1883. His wife died about fourteen years ago. Recently he sold his farm at Miki Miki, and bought a bouse in Masterton, where he intended to reside. He was very popular in ithe distriot/. Ho was a wellknown athlete, and a keen cricketer. In bia younger days he was probably the best all-round oricketer in the Wellington Provime. besides being a member of. the Welch Family jot , cricketers, he captained the Carlton li team since the formation of the Carlton Oluo in 1903. The Carlton B team in the season 1903-4 won the first Hendersun Cup competition , ' held under the auspices of the Masterton Cricket Association. In 1904-5 the Carlton B team tied with Eketabuna for first place. The late Mr Weloh was also a, fine footballer aud one of the best players that Wairarapa. has ever seen. He was also a prominent member of the Qpaki Quoits Club. Four children—two boys, aged 19 years and 14 years, aud two girls, aged 17 years and 15 years—are left to mourn their loss. Tbe funeral will leave Mr F. P. Welob's residence, Lansdpwne, at 1.45 o'clock to-morrow afternoon.