UNUSUAL CASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 182, 2 July 1938, Page 10

UNUSUAL CASE.

POST MORTEM OPPOSED. At Opikt on Sunday evening hist the death occurred suddenly of a (1, v< f youth, Manuriki Perawiti, aged -J, of Muhunoa West, Ohati. The Shannon police, who were notified, communicated with the District Coroner (Mr G. D. Hamilton). An inquest was arranged to be held at 11 a.m. at the Foxton Courthouse on Monday, and the body was ordered to he removed to the Foxton morgue. The body was taken to the morgue accompanied by several of deceased’s relatives, including his mother and father. Dr. T. H. Pullar, pathologist of the Palmerston North Hospital, was in attendance at the morgue at 11 a.m. to carry out it post mortem examination under the Coroner’s instructions to ascertain the cause of death. However, it was reported to the Coroner, the women folk accompanying the body took up a position in the morgue and the father of deceased protested that lie was not going to allow any post mortem examination to be held on bis son. 'Hie Coroner was accompanied by the police constables in charge at Shannon, Foxton, and Levin. Subsequently tiie parents agreed to an external examination of the body bv Dr. Pullar, who was the first mocbcal practitioner to see the body after death took place. The Coroner then decided be would take the father and mother to tiie Courthouse at Foxton and open an inquest. He took formal evidence of identification and tho circumstances surrounding deceased’s death. After taking evidence be tried to reason with the father of deceased, that in the interests of all concerned, particularly the Maoris as a race, that lie should consent to a post, mortem examination, but the father (reports the Chronicle) still refused. Mr Hamilton then solicited the services of Mr lloore Rangiheuea, of Foxton, to try to reason with the relatives, but after a consultation lasting from noon till 4.15 p.m. be could not alter the stand taken.

During this period Air Hamilton communicated with the Under-Secretary, of Justice (Mr B. L. Dnllard), explaining the circumstances. The latter got into communication with the Native Department and Crown Law Office, and later in the afternoon into touch with the Coroner at Foxton, who then agreed to give permission to the relatives to take the body to Oban and to adjourn the Coroner's Court sine die without issuing a certificate of burial. i

Yesterday tho inquest was reopened at Levin when evidence was taken by tile Coroner touching upon the physical condition of deceased during his lifetime.

In the course of his evidence Dr. Puller said lie was unable to state tho cause of death, but from examination he concluded that there had been no violence, ’either accidental or criminal. After hearing evidence of deceased’s weak physique, the Coroner returned a verdict that deceased’s death was presumed to have been caused bv heart failure, the actual disease and cause of such conditions not being available. In adding a rider, the Coroner said it was to be regretted that, in the interests of native health generally, the relatives of deceased took up the attitude that they would on no account submit to the body being examined by a post mortem.