SHOCKING DEATH OF A DOCTOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10009, 21 December 1895, Page 5

SHOCKING DEATH OF A DOCTOR.

BURKED IN A BUSH FIRE,

[by TBLKQRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] Gisdobne, Friday. Dr. Heale, who has beon in practice here since 1801, has met his death in a shocking manner. He left town on Tuesday afternoon for tho purposo of proceeding to some proporty owned by himself and Mr. Fred Lysnar, some distance up the Waimata Valley, for tho purpose of witnessing a good bush fire, which he had never seen before. Some 800 acros of bush had been been foiled on his property, and it was arranged that this should be lighted after the doctor's arrival.

Towards midday on Wednesday Dr. I Heale, Mr. Lysnar, M*. Akroyd, and ' a party of men left the homestead for the fallen bush for tho purpose of start- j ing the fire. Tho bush was Borne % miles from tho homestead, a good tramp, i The party proceoded for some distance i along the ridge of a hill, upon the slope of ' which was a portion of tho fallen bush. ' Their path lay through standing timbor, and it was their intention to return the way they wont. When they reached the boundary end of the property between half-past threo and four o'clock Hoalo, l.yonar, and Akroyd were together on the < ridge, tho others having separatod to start the firo in different directions Lysnar left his two companions on tho ridgo and descended tho steep hillside into tho creek to start the firo at this cornor of the burn." When he gob down his knee, which was injured some time ago, gave out, and as he did not return Mr. Akroyd decided to go to hi? assistance, telling Dr. Heale to remain where ho was whilst he went to look for him. Mr. Akroyd was about half an hour before he returned with Mr. Lysnar, who was limping badly. When they got back there was no sign of the Doctor. Akroyd and Lysnar were at once alarmed and started in search of him. They remalnod about) tho spot cooeeing for some time, bub could got no response, and they then commenced a systematic search of the locality, hunting in every direction in which they thought the doctor could have gone. It was after midnight before they got back to tho homestead, both thoroughly dono up. Meanwhile the people at the station, reckoning the whole three had been lost, had organised a search party, which went out immediately on their arrival with news that Dr. Hoale was missing. Tho search was carried on all night, and early next morning the party was reinforced by settlers round about, and in the afternoon by a party from town. Yesterday's scours of country was unavailing, but this morning tho search party came upon the remains of the unfortunate gentleman, charred beyond recognition, amongst tho ashes of burned bush, about a chain in, and somo 15 chains from whore he had been left in perfect safety, in tho middle ot' standing bush. A short time before ho was left, lie mentioned that he would give half a sovereign for a drink of water, and may be, whilst the others were away, he thought he would descend to the creek and slake his hirst, and whilst bo was there he ascended the slope on the opposite side, for the purpose of giving the burn a start at that place, and entering a short distance into the fallen bush to do so. This is borne out by the fact that a full box of matches which he had obtained prior to going out, and did not use on the journey, show signs of having been used. It is assumed that while in the act of lighting a fire he was seized with a fainting attack caused by the heat. The body was discovered lying on its face, and from the position in which it lay it was evident that Dr. Heale when he succumbed, was battling against the smoke ami tire which overcame him. Near his mouth were found the remains of his brandy flask, and near his hands they found his handkerchief, which had evidently been saturated with spirits from the flask, and was crumpled up as if to retain the moisture. Dr. He.tle was in his 44th year. Ho was born in Ceylon, and came to tho colonies from Warwick, England, and after practising ne.ir Sydney for some yoars, settled down in Gisborno in 1891. Ho leaves a widow and four children. The deceased, it is stated, held a policy of £500 in tho New Zealand Accident Insurance Company.