TRAGIC DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 10, 11 July 1936, Page 13

TRAGIC DEATH

THEORY OF SUICIDE

A WAIRARAPA FARMER

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evening Post.")

MASTERTON, This Day.

The charred remains of Ronald Hiko McMaster, a prominent Martinborough farmer arid son of the late Mr. John McMaster, one of the original Wairarapa pioneer settlers, was found yesterday morning in the smouldering ruins of a shed at the rear of his homestead, Tarawahi, Martinborough, badly burnt.

A revolver found near the body led the police to the belief that Mr. McMaster set fire to the shed and then shot himself. . /

The evidence at an inquest yesterday afternoon before the district Coroner, Mr. T. E. Lang, of Featherston, was meagre and threw little light on the tragedy. A verdict Of death by incineration was returned, although identification was- by no means accurate. • No one else: was reported missing in the district and the Court.felt certain that ,'the remains found were those of the late Mr. McMaster.

Mrs. McMaster; who is a well-known tennis player, was away in Napier at the time, and Mr.-. McMaster spent Thursday night at home alone. He was last seen alive on Thursday evening He had intended to go to Wellington yesterday morning, but when the son of a sharemilker who was to have driven him to the Featherston station visited larawahi on Thursday Mr. McMaster told the lad that he had decided to stay at home.

Thinking that Mr. McMaster might have changed his mind tfcout the trip during the night, the sharemilker visited the homestead about 8.30 ajn yesterday, but could find no trace of Mr. McMaster. As Mr, McMaster had been under treatment by Dr. G S Sharp, of Featherston, for some time* aimety was felt: for his safety, and later ln the morning Mr. K. S. McMaster, brother oj the deceased, the sharemilker, and another man again visaed the station, where they found tne_ smouldering- remains of the shed which was some distance to the rear of _ the homestead. A search of the ruins revealed the charred remains of a body. Constable A. Gregory of Greytown, and Dr. Sharp were summoned and the former found the revolver which was missing from; the house! The evidence'found by. the'police was' consistent with a theory that the late Mr. McMasfer'.set fire.-to-the shed and then shot himself. The shed was reduced to a tangle of burnt iron and smoking woodwork. The state of the body nullified examination. •■ That the fire was not noticed during the night was probably accounted for by the fact that the homestead is about a mile back from the main lower valley'road and the shed still further back and surrounded by a belt of tall manuka.

The police are of opinion that the tragedy occurred between midnight on Thursday and • daylight • yesterday morning. : .

The late Mr. McMaster, who was very well and favourably known throughout the Wairarapa, was in his 40th year. He had resided in the Martinborough district all his life