MU DICKIE’S DEATH

Otago Witness, Issue 3511, 28 June 1921, Page 26

MU DICKIE’S DEATH

TRAGEDY OF AN* EX-M.P. Mr Wiiliam James Diekie, of Lyndhurst, ex-member of Parliament for Selwyn, was found dead on Friday in a building on his newly-acquired farm. There was a gunshot •wound in bis head, ar.d a gu:i lay beside £im. Mr Dickie was last seen alive at 11 a.m., working in his farmyard. When he did not appear at lunch, a farm hand named Albert Dent went to look for him, and found him lying dead in a nearby building, with a gunshot wound in his head and a fowling piece beside him. CORONER'S VERDICT. ASHBURTON*. June 25. The coroner’s verdict at the inquest held concerning the death of Mr William James Dickie, formerly member for Selwyn, was death from a gunshot wound in the head, self-inflicted while temporarily insane or •during the period of a brain storm. The evidence showed that deceased was in poor health recently, and was under medical attention. Deceased was also worrying over his financial position, which nevertheless ap peared to be sound, as disclosed by the evidence. [The late Mr Dickie was a grandson of the late Mr James Dent, one of the earliest settlers in Emriston. and was born at Cobden, neat Grcyinonth. He entered the service cf-Me ssrs Thomas and M'Beth, a West Coast business firm, but owing to ill-health he had to relinquish the occupation in favour of farming. He took up land at Charlton, Somcrton. Seven years later he sold the property, and bought the Ardagh Estate, Lyndhurst, in partnership with Mr Dent. lie married Miss Peryman, niece of Mr James Peryman, one of the early settlers of Greymouth, and brought up a family. Ho was prominent in the local affairs of his district, and eventually represented Selwyn in the House of Representatives. In 1911 Mr Dickie, standing in the Liberal interest for the Selwyn seat, gained 2734 votes agninst 2453 polled by the Hon. C. A. C. Hardy. In the 1914 election he ■was again successful, gaining 2838 votes, which gave him a big majority over Messrs G. Sheat (Reform} 1651 and J. W. Hamlet (Reform) 983. At the readjustment of boundaries prior to the 1919 election the Selwyn electorate went out of existence. A largo part of it was merged in the Ashburton electorate, for which Mr Dickie stood against the Hon. W. Nosworthy. but was unsuccessful. He leaves a widow, two grown-up sons and a daughter.]