SUICIDE PRECAUTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19215, 2 January 1926, Page 7

SUICIDE PRECAUTIONS.

GRAFTON BRIDGE CASES. COMMENTS BY THE CORONER. Comment on the frequency ,of suicides on Grafton Bridge was made by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner at the inquest on Thursday concerning the death of James Chapman Rule, cabinetmaker, Waihi. James Matheson, brother-in-law of deceased, said Rule had been residing with him during his stay in Auckland. Witness last saw him about 7 o'clock on Tuesday morning when he was in good spirits and intending to go to the races. Otto Lenger, another brother-in-law, said deceased was a jockey until about five years ago. He was kicked by a horse and suffered a broken jaw-bone and injuries to the head. Since then he had bfcn subject to fits of depression which often lasted several weeks. Witness had heard him threaten to commit suicide, but he did not take him seriously. Kenneth R. Hacket, journalist, said ho was crossing Grafton Bridge when ho was accosted by Rule, who appeared to be under the influence of liquor. Rule said : "Is this the highest poiut of the bridge?" Witness said: "No, further along, but do you know where you are going?" Deceased replied: "If I am on Grafton Bridge I'm going right across." Witness said: "Keep on and you will strike Park Road." Deceased said: " Thank you, mate," and as witness was leaving him he muttered something about "the midde of the bridge," but owing to the thickness of his speech the remark was not intelligible. Witness had Eroceeded about 50 yards when ho looked ack to see if the man had accosted other pedestrians. He saw him just rolling off the parapet at a point about 90ft. from the ground. Witness summoned the police and Dr. Murray. A written deposition by Dr. Murray stated that deceased expired within ten minutes. There were external injuries to the head, and the skull was fractured. The coroner said tho message " Harry Dwyer understands," found written on a cigarette packet in deceased's pocket, had no reference to the suicide. It apparently referred to some incident in his career in the stables. Sergeant Capp said there had been four or five cases of suicide on Grafton Bridge within his knowledge. The Coroner: Could not something be erected to prevent it ? The Sergeant: They would climb over it if they were determined. The Coroner: I doubt if they would get over a grille with spikes turned inward. But if they could not commit suicide there, 1 suppose they would do it somewhere else. A verdict was returned that deceased committed suicide while in a state of depression.