THE SUICIDAL MANIA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 236, 29 June 1908, Page 8

THE SUICIDAL MANIA.

7 f- ——- ' QUITE A LIST. SAD CASE OP A YOUNG. WOMAN. (BY TEIiEOIUPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. )' / Dunedln, 'June 28. A young woman named Alice Small, whoso : parents reside at St. Albans, Christchurch, was arrested to-day on a charge of attempted suicide. It appears that she came down from Christchurch three or four days ago." Between .ten and eleven o'clock this morning she was seen:to.go into tho water at Ocean Beach; and throw herself down. Two Artillerymen) who witnessed'the deed, effected a rescue.': Miss' Small suffered from influenza some "tinie ! ago, and' it is thought that this may have affected her to some extent.

7- A FIREMAN'S END. ' ~ Dunedin, June 28. On the voyage of the Kumara, which reached-Port -Chalmers .yesterday from London direct, a/fireman named William Moore committed suicide. Ho; was found lying on the deck at 2 a.m. on May 22 with his throat cut, and he died nine days afterwards. The body was buried at sea. , ' ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. •7 Napier, June 28. A man named Alexander Beadie attempted to commit suicide by cutting his throat in a boarding-house in Avenue Road, Hastings, on Friday night-. ~ His condition attracted attention next -morning, and a doctor was called-in attended to the man's injuries, which l , were not dangerous, although there had been much loss of . blood. Beadie . was subsequently, sent to Napier for treatment at the ! hospital. ■ He is between 35 and 40 'years' of age, a labourer by occupation, and is said to have arrived from Masterton about a,week ago. 'He was unable to obtain work, and apparently . grew .despondent. Nothing unusual.was noticed in his demeanour.'

PALMERSTON TRAGEDY. Palmerston North, June 27. . A well-known resident of Palmerston, Laurence Laurenson, shot himself at. To•komaru this morning, death being instantaneous. The deceased tied each end of a bootlace to the trigger of a double-barrelled gun, placed his foot in tho resultant loop and the barrel:m his'mouth, and exploded both barrels. ; Deceased was. previously a builder and contractor, but during recent years devoted himself to pastoral pursuits on a large scale, having several leasehold and freehold properties: He"had boon speculating heavily in' stock,-and the fall in prices considerably affected his financial position. It is thought that worry induced insomnia, which resulted in tho dreadful, occurrence of this morning. He is survived, by a wife and five children. 7 'Palmerston North, June 28. At the inquest to-day on Laurence Laurenson, who oommitted suicide at Tokomaru yesterday, a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned.