NO INQUEST HELD

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1935, Page 5

NO INQUEST HELD

DEATH OF PROFESSOR SHANN

After inquiries by the police, a report on the death of Professor Shann, who was found with his skull fractured lying on the concrete pavement near the main University building at Adelaide, was submitted by Plain-clothes-Constable E. J. Davis to the City Coroner (Mr. A. S. Blackburn), who deemed an inquest unnecessary. The police said they were satisfied there was no foul play of any kind, says the "Sydney Morning Herald." The Vice-Chancellor of the University (Sir William' Mitchell), in a tribute to the career of Professor Shann, said that his permanent interest was in teaching economics. He had just completed.a new approach, escaping from the abstractness of the classical school and the empirical character of the historical one. It was this new scheme that made him unwilling to rest. Last week he confided to Sir William Mitchell that he had lately become giddy from lecturing, but that he thought a change of air would keep him right. He said he had often suffered from overwork, especially during the end of his undergraduate years, and worse when he came back from London. "Professor Shann's cheerfulness and activity deceived us," added Sir William Mitchell, "and until he told me I had no idea he was feeling the strain."

Mr. John Stokes, a student who attended Professor Shann's last economic lecture, from 6.15 to 7.15 the night of his death, said that the professor did not appear as well as usual. Normally, he lectured in a half-stand-ing position, with one foot on a chair, from behind the long table in the Prince of Wales lecture theatre. That night, however, Professor Shann sat on a chair in front of the table. The lecture lasted the full hour, and the large theatre was fairly well filled with students.

Another student said that, after the { lecture, the professor appeared to be in normal health, although he had asked the class if he might sit down to deliver his lecture. This lecture was the last that Professor Shann was to have given in that course for the term. AN OPEN WINDOW. There are two windows in the com-mittee-room, which is connected by a door with Professor Shann's office on the north side. The window farthest from the door was found open, the bottom sash having been raised about two feet and a half. It was underneath this open window that the professor was found, with his head about fifteen feet from the building. It was stated that the window in Professor Shann's office was not open. Although a class was proceeding in nearby rooms at the time, nobody there heard any indication of the tragedy. The Acting Prime Minister (Dr. Page) said that he desired to express both the Commonwealth Government's and his own personal regrets at the untimely death of Professor Shann. Professor Shann had been one of the clearest thinkers and ..best-informed minds in Australia, and his services had been of inestimable value to the Governments of Australia during the depression. "Hte work was characterised by a large vision, and great public spirit," said Dr. Page, "and his death is a national loss." Mr. Lyons said in London that Professor Shann's death was not only a misfortune to Australia but a serious personal loss. He recalled the harmony with which he had worked with Professor Shann in the preparation of the Premiers' Plan, in which Professor Shann had shown outstanding ability.