TWO LYING DEAD

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1932, Page 9

TWO LYING DEAD

FAW AND SMALL, SON

MAQEDY OF A SICK MAN

BOOM FILLED WITH QAS

CHILD’S PATHETIC NOTE

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. A double tragedy involving the death of a child aged a years and his father occurred in a flat in Wynyard Street on Saturday night, the bodies of fathes and son being discovered in bed this morning. The father was William Charles Morrison, aged 50 years, a married man residing apart from his,wife, while the son was John Albert Morri* son, aged five years, an only childThe boy, who Jived withhis mother, Mrs. Ida Morrison, a nurses at Northeote, was visiting his father for the week-end. The child arrived on a visit

to his father on Friday afternoon. On Saturday the pair went .to see the League test match at Carlaw Park, but before the game was finished the father, who had been in ill health for tire past three months, complained of feeling unwell, and they returned to his apartment. . After they had taken their evening meal the boy was put to bed about 9 o’clock. The' father was playing cards with the owner of the house and others until about 10.30, when he retired. He then appeared to be depressed. About 9 o’clock this, morning the owner of the house went to the bedroom with deceased’s breakfast, but after knocking received no reply. She then noticed a smell of gas, and she notified other residents .of the house, one of whom summoned the police. Constables on arrived found both father and son in bed, death having taken place several hours previously. . The bodies were lying side by side in a three-quarter sized bed, The father, who was dressed in pyjamas .and a shirt, ) was lying on his back in a natural, position, while the son, who was also in his night attire, lay in a similar attitude ot repose. Both were covered by blankets and two rugs, which had not been dis- " turbed. The constables discovered that gas has been allowed to escape from a gas heater, which was turned on but not lighted and stood at? the foot of the bed. This heater was connected with several, feet of flexible tubing to a gas stove fed through a slot meter. That the tragedy was not accidental was shown by the fact that the two windows in the room were closely shut; a scarf had been placed over a crack at the top of the door, and an old sheet had been stuffed into a ventilator'in the kitchenette adjoining the bedroom. In/ the pocket of the son’s pyjamas was a note asking his father to “Tell me fairy stories in the morning.” Morrison was formerly in the employ of the Electric Power Board, whose service he joined in 1909. He saw war service, losing one leg, and on his return rejoined the board’s staff. About three months ago he retired, giving as his reason ill health and stating that after a holiday he intended • to join his sister in business in New Plymouth. On his retirement tributes to his work were paid by members of the board. His mother, Mrs. Isaac Morrison,, is a resi-r lent of NewTlymouth.