YOUNG GIRL’S SUICIDE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25457, 11 February 1944, Page 4

YOUNG GIRL’S SUICIDE

UPSET BY HOME CRITICISM (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb 10. “ It Is unfortunate that such wild and uninformed rumours got abroad, said the coroner, Mr W. G. Mellish, to-day, returning a verdict —•“ That Noeline Margaret Phillips died on January 7 on the railway line at Petone, the cause of death being decapitation when she voluntarily placed her head on the railway line before the train: That practically means suicide. Evidence was given that there had been some criticism at her home on January 6 of the girl’s action in remaining out till 1.30 a.m. with a United States marine, but there was no question of unchastity, and all the parties subsequently parted m a friendly fashion. . , Another United States marine who had not previously known the deceased said he saw her in a Wellington tram about 11 p.m. on January 6 travelling from a picture theatre to the railway station. He entered into conversation with her, and she had told him her name and said she had had trouble at home and was going to leave. He advised her to go home and forget her troubles. He saw her leave the train at Petone, and no one met her. The girl’s mother said that on the evening of January 6 she found a pencilled note under the girl’s pillow which seemed to indicate that she intended to commit suicide. A little later a neighbour handed her a long letter in the same terms, and the police were informed. “ When you view the evidence as a whole there is only one possible conclusion,” said the coroner. “The letter clearly indicated the girl’s intention to commit suicide. The police have painstakingly traced the movements of the deceased until a few minutes before her death. The evidence of the marine who saw her in the tram and the train shows that she was normal except that she poured out her home troubles to him. He gave her good advice, and it is ,a pity she did not acccept it.” The coroner added that counsel who appeared for the parents had suggested that the letter might have been written under dictation, but the mother had found a draft of that letter under the girl’s pillow, and the draft was almost identical up to a point with the letter. The deceased was 15 years and 9 months of age. Her body was found in the early morning of January 7 on the railway line at Petone.