CORONER’S COMMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 5 February 1944, Page 2

CORONER’S COMMENT

INQUEST ON WOMAN HURLED HERSELF IN FRONT OF TRAIN Wellington, This Day. The need for strict supervision of patients released from menial hospitals was stressed by the coroner, Mr W. G. Mcllish, at the inquest in Wellington yesterday into the death of Violet Myrtle Domb, who was killed by being struck by an electric train about 8.50 p.m. on 16th January last at the entrance to the Raroa tunnel at Johnsonville. Arthur Dow, driver of the train which struck Mrs Domb, said that approaching the tunnel he saw a woman near the line. He sounded the horn and applied the brakes. The woman made as if to escape, but then raised her hands above her head and hurled herself in front of the train. There % was no chance of avoiding the woman. Sergeant A. E. Kearton. who represented the police, said that police inquiries disclosed that Mrs Domb left Christchurch on 11th January and went to Kaikoura. where she remained one night. She went the following day to Picton. her means of transit being ride s she secured from car drivers. She stayed at Picton for two days and crossed over to Wellington on 14th January. A complaint had bc-en received that a rifle had been stolen from a hut at Kaikoura, and Mrs Domb had been seen carrying a rifle in the vicinity.

Dr. T. G. Gray. Director-General of Mental Hospitals, said Mrs Domb had ben an inmate of Porirua Mental Hospital and had later been a patient at the Christchurch Mental Hospital from sth August., 1943, to 10th January, 1944. She was fit to be released in care of friends, but if she had had no friends she would still be in the institution. The mere fact that her husband had signed the probation form and taken her out of the Christchurch mental home showed that she had improved. She was suffering from delusional insanity, but appeared to have improved.

Dr. A. C. McKillop. superintendent of Sunnyside Mental Hospital, Christchurch, said that Mrs Domb was undei the impression that she was being persecuted. She had never been depressed. Her husband had requested several times that his wife should be allowed out to go into a convalescent home, and witness told him that if her condition improved this might be allowed. As her condition had improved. witness allowed her to leave the institution on probation on 10th January last.

To the coroner, Dr. McKillop said that had Mrs Domb left Christchurch for Wellington without her husband’s permission and he had reported this, witness would have informed the police with the object of having her movements watched. In opinion she was not fit to travel alone. Cross-examined by Mr W. J. Stacey, who represented the husband, witness said patients who showed recent suicidal tendencies would not.be released on probation. Her husband had been most attentive to his wife. HUSBAND’S EVIDENCE Maurice Domb, accountant at the Addington railway workshops, Christchurch, said he had arranged with the Minister of Health, and Dr. McKillop six months ago to place his wife in a convalescent home, but, after all arrangements had been made, Dr. McKillop went back on his word, and refused to release his wife. “I was very glad to take my wife out of the Christchurch Mental Hospital,” said witness, “as it was worse than a concentration camp.” No condition of release had been explained to him by any person at the hospital, he said. He considered it fit and proper for his wife to travel to Wellington, as she had apparently recovered. The coroner, in giving his verdict, said no blame was attachable to the driver of the engine or the Railways Department, but he considered some blame was attachable to either the Mental Hospitals Department or t?ie husband regarding the release. Mrs Domb had been released from the mental hospital on 10th January, and on the same day she left unattended for Kaikoura. On arriving at Johnsonville she brought a railway ticket and walked along the railway line, which was not the action of a normal person. “I think Mr Domb failed in his duty in allowing her to come up here and get in such a position,” proceeded the coroner. “Publicity should be given to the fact that people have a responsibility to see that mentally defective patients are properly cared for.” A verdict was returned that Mrs Domb died on 16th January, 1944, on the railway track at Raroa Johnsonville. the cause of death being injuries received through being struck r.id run over by a railway unit.