VERDICT OF SUICIDE

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 1 February 1933, Page 5

VERDICT OF SUICIDE

STRATFORD FARM MYSTERY. IDENTIFICATION”OF SKELETON. The inquest into the death of Donald Morrison, a Kohuratahi farmer, whose skeleton remains were found on September 19, 1932, by, two pig hunters operating in the district, was concluded at Stratford yestferday after evidence of identification of the boots found alongside the remains had been given. “After carefully considering the lengthy evidence given at this Inquest, and the very weighty circumstantial evidence, I must come to the conclusion that the skeleton discovered at Kohuratahi on September 18, 1932, can be none other than that of Donald Morrison,’’ stated the coroner, Mr W. L. Kennedy. i Roy Jarvis Deare, a bootmaker in business at Devon Street, New Plymouth, said he was well acquainted with the deceased. He last had business ’dealings with Morrison on September 7. 1930, when he was in witness’ shop at New Plymouth. For fully five years prior to the time ho was reported missing Morrison had bought practically all his footwear at witness’ shop. Witness also did his repairs. Witness recollected Morrison on one occasion showing him a brown pair of' boots he was wearing. Morrison said he had bought the boots from John Court, Ltd., of Auckland, and he remarked at the time that it was about the only pair of boots he had purchased other than in Deare’s shop during the last five years. Witness examined the boots at the time; a pair of willow .calf Cookham boots made by A. E. Marlowe, Northampton, England. Morrison subsequently sent the pair of boots, to the shop for repairs, and the work was carried out on the premises. Witness had examined tne pair of boots (produced) and was satisfied beyond any doubt that they were Donald Morrison’s, and he definitely identified the repairs as having been executed at Ins shop. There were other features which strengthened the opinion of witness. The boots were stamped on. the inside “Made expressly for John Court, Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand.” The boot was. one that was very rarely sold in this country. Witness coaid not remember repairs to any other boots of that type within recent years. The repairs were half-soling and rubber heels. Witness know that the deceased had a particularly high arched instep, and that was why the rubbers were put on top of the full heel. Morrison asked that that be done. The coroner commented on the fact that the gun had been discharged and that the last action of the rifle was the pulling of the trigger was made very plain in he evdence. The. ejector had not been tnrned and the empty shell was still in the breach. “I find,” said Mr Kennedy,” that the deceased Donald Morrison committed suicide :bv shooting himself with a .303 rifle on or about February 19, 1931, while mentally depressed over financial matters.

The coroner thanked ,Sergt, J. J. Rower for his assistance and congratulated him on the excellent manner in which "the volume of evidence had been marshalled'.

An order for the interment of the remains was made.