WOMAN'S DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22071, 29 March 1935, Page 14

WOMAN'S DEATH

COMMENT BY CORONER

LEFT ALONE IN COTTAGE FATAL GUNSHOT WOUND Comment on tho fact that Mrs. Norah Isobel Bremncr, married, aged 31, had been left alone in a cottage the night before she was found dead from a gunshot wound, was made by Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., coroner, at an inquest at Papaktira yesterday. Mrs. Brcmner's body was found in a paddock on her brother-in-law's farm at Drury by her husband, Robert Keith Bremncr, about seven o'clock on the evening of February 8. A single-barrel-led shotgun, with a discharged cartridge in the breech, was found lying across the body, and there was a fatal wound above tho heart. Dr. H. Burrell, of Papaknra, said he accompanied Constable Holland to tho farm about 8.15 p.m. on February 8 and viewed the body. Death had occurred about 12 hours previously. A length of string was attached to the trigger of the gun, and it was evident that deceased had been holding the string with both hands when the shot was fired. Moving of Furniture Georgo Sutherland Bremner, married, of East Tamaki, gave evidence that about 7.50 p.m. on February 7 decoasod asked him to help to move her furniture from Mr. Flanagan's house at Drury to her cottage. She arranged with Mr. S. Appleby to take it on his truck. Witness went with Mr. Appleby on the truck and brought deceased's husband to help. Ihey took the furniture off in the paddock and covered it over, as it was too wet to take the truck right up to the cottage. Witness went into the cottage for a while with his brother and deceased and their son, aged three. At about 12.10 a.m. he and his brother and the boy left. Deceased appeared to be in good spirits and asked witness to come over the following afternoon to help carry tho furniture into the cottage. Mr. Levien: But why was no one left in tho house with her? Witness: She suggested to my brother that he should take the boy over with him—if he would care to go—to Roderick Brcmner's for the night. Discussion in Cottage Witness added that the husband's truck was at Roderick Bremner's and deceased mentioned that she did not want her husband to be late for work in the morning. * Mr. Levien: But did it not seem rather strange to leave her by herself in a lonely cottage on what was apparently a wet and murky night? What was 1 the discussion in the cottage ? Witness replied that thero was really no discussion. His brother was a little annoyed, he thought, at the shifting of the furniture so lato at night and when it was wet. In reply to the corner, Constable Holland said tho gun belonged to Mr. Flanagan. It had been taken from a shed. Mr. Levien said tho point as to how deceased obtained the gun and the cartridge needed to be made quite clear. He-adjourned the inquest until April 5 to enable the police to make further inquiries.