LUCKLESS LIFE ENDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20304, 11 July 1929, Page 12

LUCKLESS LIFE ENDS.

INVALID NEW ZEALANDER. DEATH BY OWN HAND. INMATE OF THE INFIRMARY. A verdict of (loath through loss of blood, the result of a self-inflicted wound, was returned by the coroner, Mr. I'. K. Hunt, S.M., yesterday at the inquest into the death of Mr. Francis Raymond Hyde, who died in the Auckland Hospital shortlv after one o'clock yesterday morning. Deceased, who was single, aged 25, was paralysed from the waist down and was an inmate of the A nckland Infirmary. Dr. A. X. McKelvie, medical superiutendent of the im'irniary, raid that deceased was found on Monday afternoon with a largo wound in the, right groin, lie was unconscious and had lost much 11loud. Witness was called ami after giving him treatment ordered his removal to the hospital. Although later deceased was semi-conscious he did not state what had happened. Death took place in the hospital about one o'clock in tho morning, the cause being shock and loss of blood. Telegram from Brother. There was a double-bladed clasp-knife Iving on a tiTble next to deceased when he was found, while there was no other weapon nearby. Deceased had never threatened suicide and was always cheerful. Just after the finding of deceased witness received a telegram from deceased's brother asking to bo immediately informed as to deceased's condition, an inquiry which had never been received before. It was possible that deceased had written to his brother telling him what he was about to do. The injury which led to Mr. Hyde being paralysed in the lower half of his body occurred in Canada and as the result of his injurv lie was deported to New Zea land, a helpless '-nvalid, penniless and with a broken back. Leaving the Dominion in September, 1927, he had gone to Canada to try his fortune, having little more than his third-class fa;e. Up to that timo he had been engaged in milking cows and doing farm work near Uisborne. No Compensation Provisions. Only three weeks after his arrival in Canada he was driving a drayloaded with wood when the horse swerved and ran one of the wheels on to a log. Mr. Hyde was thrown to the ground, one of tho wheels passing over him and severing his spinal cord. In tho absence of any workers' compensation provision in the law of British Columbia -Mr. Hyde was unable to ob: tain much relief from his" employer, who declared that he had no means, while the owner of tho farm declaiod tho responsibility to be (hat of his lessee. Therefore, all that Mr. Hydo obtained was £4O and ho was then notified that lie would be placed on a steamer going to New Zealand, being technically deported from the country. On his arrival at Auckland on tho Aorangi ho was removed to the Auckland Hospital and later to tho infirmary.