INQUEST AT LUMSDEN

Southland Times, Issue 23024, 19 October 1936, Page 5

INQUEST AT LUMSDEN

WOMAN FOUND DROWNED. An inquest into the death of Mrs Isabella Beck, of 183 Caird street, Dunedin, was held at Lumsden on Saturday morning, Mr C. G. Macauley, J.P., acting coroner, presiding. Constable Thompson conducted the inquest on behalf of the police. The evidence was that deceased, a married woman aged 45, had been in ill-health for some time. She suffered from insomnia, dizziness and occasional lapses of memory. On the advice of a doctor she proceeded to Athol on October 3 and lived with her sister, Mrs Callander. Acting on the advice of her doctor she was to take long walks and plenty of rest. Under this advice she was making a good recovery. On Thursday afternoon she returned from a walk, stating that she felt much better and after tea she decided to go for a ten-minute walk. She was then in a normal state of health. She failed to return and search parties were formed. At noon the following day she was found drowned in about nine inches of water in the Mataura river about one mile from Mr Callander’s home. It was assumed that she suffered a lapse of memory and wandered aimlessly on, thus losing her bearings. The evidence disclosed that she had sat down on a small bank near the water’s edge, and probably through exhaustion or a heart attack fell into the water and was drowned.

The acting coroner returned a verdict that deceased was found drowned in the Mataura river at Athol on October 16, there being no evidence to show how she came to get into the water. At the conclusion of the inquest Mr Beck, of Dunedin, brother-in-law of deceased, in addressing the coroner said that on behalf of himself and relatives he wished to have placed on record the kindness, consideration and efficiency displayed by Constable Thompson, of Lumsden, in dealing with their troubles and referred to the able manner in which he had presented the case.

The acting coroner and the foreman of the jury, Mr J. Williamson, also spoke in praise of the constable.