SUDDEN DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1946, Page 8

SUDDEN DEATH

MOUNT WHITE STATION ’ MANAGER SON DISCOVERS BODY A few minutes after returning from an. all-day deer-stalking trip in the mountains behind Cass, on Sunday, James George Thompson, aged 60, married, the manager of the Mount White Station, Cass, was found dead alongside his horse in the station stables. The discovery was made by a son of the deceased, who had also been on the deer-stalking expedition. Dr. J. W. Avery, of Darfield, found, on his arrival at the homestead, that, death had occurred some time previously. The body was brought to Greymouth. An inquest was opened at Greymouth this morning,, before the Deputy Coroner, Mr. M. J. Fogarty. Constable J. Jones conducted proceedings for the police. Alexander Robert Thompson, a son of the deceased, said that on Sunday he accompanied his father on a deershooting trip on horseback. After a climb to skin one of two deer shot by the witness, the deceased said that he felt a bit queer and dizzy. Later in the afternoon more deer were' shot and the witness and his father returned to the station about 8 p.m. The witness went to his own house, about half a mile away, and on return to his stables, found him lying face downwards in a horse stall, near a feed box. The witness did not know how his father died, but assumed that, while he was feeding his horse, the animal pulled back and knocked him to the ground. The Deputy Coroner ordered that a post-mortem examination should be conducted, and adjourned the inouest proceedings sine die. ' The deceased was born in Northern Ireland and had been at. Mount. White for about 22 years. He is survived, by his wife, one son, and one daughter. The .funeral will fake place at Christchurch .on Thursday.