INVALID'S DEATH.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19668, 11 July 1929, Page 14

INVALID'S DEATH.

SEQUEL TO TRAGIC ACCIDENT. SELF-INFLICTED WOUND. i.THB PRESS Special Serric«.J AUCKLAND, July 10. * or death through loss of blood, tho result of a seii-iniiicted wound, was returned by the Coroner (Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M.) at tho inquest into tho death of frauds Raymond Hyde who died in Auckland Hospital shortly after one o'clock this morning. Hyde, who was a single man. aged -*->, was paralysed from tho waist down, and was an inmate of the Auckland Infirmary. Dr. McKelvto, medial superintendent of the Infirmary, said Hyde was found on Monday afternoon with a large wound in his right groin. lie was unconscious and had lost mucn blood. Although later Hyde was semiconscious, he did not state what naa happened. Death took place m Hospital, the cause being shock and loss of blood. There was a double-bladeo. clasp knife Winn on a table nest to Hydo when he was found, while there was no other weapon nearby. Hydo had never threatened suicide, and was always cheerful. Just after Hyde had been' found, witness received a telegram from deceased's brother asking to be immediately informed as to Hyde s condition, an enquiry which had ne T^ r been received before. It vsas possible that Hydo had written to his brother telling him what he was about to do. The injury which led to Hyde being paralysed in the lower half of his body occurred in Canada, and as the result of his injury he was deported to New Zealand a helpless invalid, penniless, and with a broken back. Leaving the Dominion in September, 1927, he had gone to Canada to try his fortune, having little more than his third class faro. ~TJp to that time be bad been engaged in milking cows and doing farm work near Gisborne. Only three weeks after his arrival in Canada he was drives a dray loaded with wood when tho horse swerved and ran one of the Wheels on to a log. Hyde was thrown to the ground, one of the wheels passing over him and severing his spinal cord. In the absence of any workers' compensation provision in tbo law of British Columbia, Hyde was unable to obtain much relief from his employer, who declared that he had no means, while the owner of tho farm declared the responsibility to be that of his lessee. Therefore, all that Hyde obtained was £4O and he was then notified that he would be placed on a steamer going to New Zealand. bem<r technically deported from the country. On his arrival at Auckland on the Aorantri he was removed to Auckland Hospital and later to the Infirmary.