OVERDOSE OF DRUG

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23266, 8 February 1939, Page 16

OVERDOSE OF DRUG

YOUNG MAN'S DEATH

FRIENDSHIP WITH GIRL i OPEN VERDICT RETURNED [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WHANG AI! EI, Tuesday " From the evidence given it has not been disclosed whether the young man took the. drug to induce sleep or for the purpose of taking his own life," said the district coroner. Mr. G. H. Morrisli, at an inquest into the death of Albert Edward Robinson, aged 18, of Whangarei. who died at the Whangarei Hospital on December >23.

Deceased's mother, Mrs.'Ethel Robinson, said that, ho was found unconscious at home on the evening of December 21. A bottle of drug tablets supplied to her husband by a doctor in 1931, and which slu 1 believed had been nearly full, was found to be almost empty. Air Force Admission Deferred Some time previously deceased had complained of not being able to sleep and it was possible that he had taken the drug" to induce sleep. Deceased had been very disappointed that his application for admission to the Air Force had been deferred for a period by the authorities.

Evidence was given by a 19-year-old Whangarei girl that she had known doceased for about two and a-half years and that she had heen very friendly with him for the past year. They had not been engaged, nor was there an understanding to this effect. About three months before the death of deceased witness' father had expressed the wish that lior association with deceased should cease and respecting her father's wishes she had informed deceased accordingly. No Mention of Taking Life

Deceased had been very upset, but had given no indication that he would take his own , life. She had seen deceased on December 21. He had been somewhat upset about the ending of their association and also by the fact that he had failed to realise his ambition of joining tlie Air Force. He was also greatly concerned as,to whether witness had attended a dance with another young man, but appeared to be relieved when she assured him that she had not done so. Deceased appeared to be nil right when he left witness. Dr. H. F. Buckley,- who performed the post-mortem, said that the Government analyist's report showed the presence of a barhituate state of poison, while the symptoms before death were consistent with drug poisoning. It was assumed in this case that the amount of drug taken was CO grains and this would prove fatal. ' The coroner returned a verdict of death from coma following an overdose of a drug.