BOY'S TRAGIC DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21417, 15 February 1933, Page 10

BOY'S TRAGIC DEATH

FATAL BULLET WOUND RIFLE BESIDE BODY DISCOVERY BY STEPFATHER [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] ROTORUA, Tuesday Found in a dying condition at his homo in Arawa Street last evening with a rifle bullet wound in his head and a rifle lying beside him, Patrick Burke Berghan, .aged 16, a pupil of the Rotorua High School, died in the Rotorua Hospital shortly after midnight. A note was left by the boy for his mother. The boy's stepfather, Mr. F. B. R. McArthur, dentist, went out in the evening, leaving the boy with his mother and two younger children. Returning shortly before 10 o'clock Mr. McArthur had just entered his bedroom when ho heard a rifle shot. Rushing to the back of the house he found the boy loaning against a wall with an automatic rifle beside him. The lad was immediately rushed to hospital, but never regained consciousness and died shortly after midnight. An inquest was opened to-day and after evidence of identification had been taken it was adjourned sine die. The lad was a prominent member of tho High School Rugby team and was very popular.