RAKAIA SUICIDE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 65, 27 December 1927, Page 5

RAKAIA SUICIDE

YOUNG MAN’S DEATH. FOUND HANGING IN SHED. CHRISTMAS MORNING TRAGEDY. A young man, Rodney James Smith, was found hanging in an outbuilding at his home at iuikaia on Sunday morning, and an inquest was held by the District Coroner (Mr A. Clara) later in the day. Doctor R. A. Bagley stated that when he was called, at the home or deceased at 8.30 o’clock he iound that deceased had been dead some nours, death being due to strangulation, trie result of hanging. Mary Smith, mother of deceased, stated that she last saw deceased at 8 o’clock on Christmas Eve, when he appeared to be quite jovial. He never at any time appeared to be depressed. He was a single man. At 7.30 on Christinas morning she found him hanging by his neck suspended from a rafter in a stable which is about a> chain from the house. He was then dead. To the Coroner witness said deceased had enjoyed good health, and had never suffered mentally. He had previously threatened to commit suicide, but he made no reference to it when last she saw him alive. Robert Carry Bmitli, a brother of deceased, stated that his brother was all right at 6 o’clock on the night before he was found hanging. Witness had tea w T ith him and the next time he saw him was at 2.30 o’clock on Christmas morning, when he went to witness s bedroom and talked. He appeared to have had a little liquor but was otherwise all right. He went away and witnesys went to sleep. He had heard deceased make reference about three years ago to hanging. It was then Christmas, and he had also had some liquor at that time. He made no reference to suicide when he spoke to witness in his bedroom at 2.30 that morning. Valentine Hay Smith, another brother corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, and' added that deceased could not stand much liquor. Witness knew of no worry that deceased had. Henry Behrns, a labourer, said- he had known deceased for years, and at 1.30 on Christinas morning he called at witness’s home, where a party was in progress. He had had some liquoi and was jovial, talking freely. Deceased was of an excitable nature but had made no reference to suicide to witness. The Coroner brought in a verdict that deceased died at Rakaia on December 25, death being due to strangulation, the result of hanging, whilst of unsound mind.