SUICIDE OF MR. WM.McKINSTREY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7268, 5 March 1885, Page 5

SUICIDE OF MR. WM.McKINSTREY.

BODY FOUND ON SURREY HILLS ESTATE. A profound sensation was caused in Poneonby last evening, when the tidings circuI lated through the district that Mr. Wm. McKinetrey, the well-known commission agent of Queen-street, had committed sucicide by cutting his throat, and that the body had been found in ft gully on the Surrey Hills' estate : — The following are the particulars, bo far as they could be ascertained last night: — Mr. McKinstrey, who was about 62 years of ago, haa of late been suffering from palpitation of the heart, and during (he past week haa been medically attended by Dr. Eayntun. He appears also to have been suffering from depression of spirits, and at times acted rather strangely, imagining that he was embarrassed, and stating that if he had a few pounda he would be all right. His family are not aware of his having any reason to ! think so, but believe that his fears existed only in his own imagination. Dr. Bayntun called yesterday afternoon to see Mr. MeKinstrey but he had just gone out, and ae he had said something about going to Parnell to get some money but little notice was taken of the circumstance. Subsequently his watch and other effects were found lying in his room and this circumstance first raised apprehensions in the minds of the members of the family,*jn view of his mental condition for the past week. One of the eons started for Parnell to see if Mr. McKinstrey was thero, and the other, Mr. W. MoKinstrey jun., having subsequently received information from a boy named McEwan, that Mr KcKinstrey had been seen late in the afternoon crossing the Surrey Hills' estate, started in that direction, accompanied by a friend, Mr. W. F. lipscombe, to make a search in the gullies there. Just at dusk they came across the body of Mr. McKinstrey, lying at the bottom of one of the gullies near the creek. An open razor was in his hand, and his throat was cut from left to right in a most determined manner. Death must have been almost instantaneous. Information was sent to Constable Collis, of Ponsonby, to Drs. Bayntun and Knight, and to the Rev. Mr. Calder, of All Saints', of whose church deceased was a member, and who undertook to break the sad intelligence to Mrs. McKinstrey, who is at present in ill-health. The medical gentlemen were soon at Mr. McKinstrey's residence in Brown-street. In the meantime Constable Collie had procured Clark's express, and accompanied by one of deceased's sons and some volunteers proceeded to Surrey Bills for the body, and brought it to deceased's residence. There was nothing left for the doctors to do, as the unfortunate man was past all earthly aid. Deceased was much esteemed and respected by those who knew him, and from hie genial disposition was the last man who would have been suspected of contemplating suicide. He had been about 25 years in Auckland. At one time he was in business in Poneonby, but latterly he has been acting as a commission agent, having an office in Queen-street. He was also agent for the JSew Zealand Insurance Company in the Ponsonby district. Mr. McKinstrey was an old parishioner of All Saints' Church, and had taken a very active interest in church matters, having served for many years as a vestryman, though he was not in office at the time of his death, having declined nomination at the last annual meeting of the parishioners. He was a native of Armagh, Iceland, and leaves a grown-up family of two eons and two daughters. An inquest will be held to-day.