ELDERLY MAN'S DEATH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18975, 27 March 1936, Page 12

ELDERLY MAN'S DEATH

TRAGEDY NEAR HAWERA INTERVIEW WITH POLICE After an interview with two police officers, in which lie agreed' to accompany them to the Hawera police station, Benjamin ' Speight, aged 63, of South road, Hawera, obtained permission to go into an outhouse, 'in which, half a minute later, he was found with a severe wound in his throat and a razor at his feet. He died shortly afterward, and a doctor who had been called was able to do nothing. At an inquest before. the district coroner, Mr. .It. S. Sage, Detective Kearney said that with Constable Donovan he called at Speight's _ home on official business. At witness' suggestion, Speight agreed to accompany the police to the. station, so that the matter could be fully discussed. Detective Kearney said he gave init was a hot. and bad-tempered baud who sought (lie shelter of tents. Even there the ants followed them, so that the troops had to undress before they could rid their clothing of the insects. Almost every open-air area had a similar experience. At the Westown Golf Club two golfers had of abandon the'seareh for lost balls, so vicious were the ants, arid the players' morning round was spoiled by the insects' persistent attention. Sightseers at the aerodrome were also irritated by the peats,

structions to Donovan to bring the ear to the gate. In tiie meantime Speight, with the permission of witness, entered the outhouse. Witness accompanied .Speight and waited about 4ft. from the door of the building. Half a minute later he heard a sound which caused him to rush into the building, where he found Speight, with a gash across his throat and a razor at his feet. "Speight was not in custody on any charge," said Detective Kearney. The police had called to interview him, and had no authority to search him. The inquest was resumed to-day and, in the course of the evidence, it was stated that Speight was addicted to the drinking of methylated spirits. The inquest was adjourned pending advice from the Pensions Department, regarding Speight's medical and mental record during war service.