DEATH OF MR A. V. R. MORTEN.

VERDICT OF SUICIDE. Arthur Vernon 1 Roscoe Morten, aged j 58, wlio lived at Mount Pleasant, was | found on Saturday morning with ; a bullet wound in Jiis chest. Hie died immediately afterwards. An inquest was held on Saturday evening when the Coroner, Mr H. A. Young, brought in a verdict of suicide. Mary Morten said _ that at about twenty minutes past eight o'clock she ■left her husband in his room. She heard a shot fired and returned to the bedroom, where she found her husband sitting on the edge of the bed; (She asked him if ho had shot himself, and he replied "Yes." Then he collapsed. Before witness returned to the room he had replaced the revolver lie had used in the wardrobe where it was usually kept. He had been in bad liealth for some time, bat had never told witness that he intended to commit suicide. Dr. ft. W. Anderson said that when he saw Morten he was dead. There was a bullet wound in his left breast, the bullet having passed through the apex of the heart. He - would have been able to replace the revolver in the wardrobe after firing the shot. Witness had been attending Morten for many years. Sine® October last he had been practically an invalid. The Coroner returned a verdict that Morten had died from a gunshot wound, self-inflicted while in a depressed state, the depression arising from ill-health. Mr Morten was well known for his public generosity and was highly respected by a very wide circle of friends and acquaintances. Ho was a son of Mr It. MV Morten and leaves a widow, a daughter, and two sons. He had beeu in ill-health for some time and derived little benefit from a trip to England, which, he made a year ago. The Morten family was closelyidentified with Early Canterbury and farmed large tracts of land at Mount Pleasant, Scarborough, the, Port Hills, and Tai Tapu. Upon the death of Mv R. M. Morten the estate passed to two sons.;-. Mr Richard Morten continued his interest;, in farming, and Mr Arthur Moyten settled at tho estate, j Hornby, moving subsequently 'to Mount Pleasant. Mr Morten always took a keen interest in various branches of sport, and was a. noted dofj-fancier. He also concerned himself with the stock rais-' ing industry. For many years he was a member of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, holding the presidency of that organisation at one stage. For about 10 vears he had been closely associated with the work of the Canterbury branch of the Societv for the Prevention of Cruelty ! to Animals, and was always enthusiastic in the aims of the society. „

Motoring in the early days of the car Vas one of Mr Morten's bobbies. He was a foundation member of the Canterbury Automobile Association, and was the owner of one of the-first cars imported into Canterbury. For some time he was president of the Association. He participated, with success, in the early hill-climbs and reliability trials in, the days when motoring was not the simple- and safe means of transport it is to-day. His other interests included shooting and fishing. Another hobby was the collection of firearms, and Mr Morten possessed weapons representative ot very many countries and periods. He collected all types of small firearms for so many years, that at_ last he had a private armoury unique in New Zealand. Even a small cannon was included. Fond of gardening. Mr Morten gave "up a good deal of time to the cultivation of native shrubs and •flowers, and. lie made the grounds of his home at Mount Pleasant notable for their .beautv. Indeed garden levers made special visits to see the flowers m , bloom. As a mark of appreciation of '■ his many irifts, Hillmortett'rwas named after Mr Morten. He was generous .in his " public gifts, t giving land to the Summit Bond Trust and a reserve to Sumner. : For some time he was associated with tho C.Y.C.. and always retained a keen interest in the Christchurch Povs' High School, of which he was an old boy.