FLAXCUTTER’S DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23364, 2 December 1937, Page 14

FLAXCUTTER’S DEATH

RESULT OF HEART DISEASE INQUEST AT BALCLUTHA An inquest was held yesterday before the district coroner (Mr A. E. Russell) at the Courthouse, Balclutha, into the death of Adam Mason, a single man, aged 59. Mason’s death occurred suddenly on Monday at Otanomomo while he was engaged in his work of flaxcutting for Bichan’s mill. Constable Buchanan conducted the inquiry and Mr W. H. Carson appeared on behalf of the deceased’s employer (Mr G. Bichan). Dr D. G. Radcliffe, Balclutha, said that as the result of a postmortem examination he found that the deceased’s heart was enlarged and disease was discernible. The immediate cause of death was coronary artery thrombosis. In this case the disease had evidently been of many years’ duration, and was of a progressive nature. Death was more likely to occur during heavy exertion. Robert Black Mason, of Puerua, a brother of the deceased, said that they both worked at, flax-cutting at Otanomomo. On Monday morning they left the hut at Otanomomo at 5.30 a.m. for their work in the swamp. His brother seemed all right, and made no complaint. They were working apart from each other, and he did not see his brother again until 3.30 p.m., when he saw him lying dead near where he had been working. Andrew John McLaren, flax-cut-ter, Romahapa, said that he had started work in close proximity to the deceased, but in cutting they worked away from each other. At 10.30 witness could still hear the deceased cutting flax, but could not see him. When next he saw him at 3.30 p.m. he was dead. The place where he was found was close to where witness had heard him working at 10.30. Constable Boyle, Balclutha, said that on Monday afternoon he had examined the body at the scene. It appeared to him that the deceased had been walking towards the place where he had left his coat when he had a seizure. The coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. _____