MORVEN TRAGEDY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19485, 9 May 1933, Page 9

MORVEN TRAGEDY

CORONER’S INQUEST. An inquest was held at the Waimate Courthouse yesterday afternoon before the District Coroner (Mr G. Dash), touching the death of a half-caste Maori, Andrew Robert Nicholls, w r ho was found dead close to his house at the Morven Maori Pah as the result of a gun-shot wound in the head. Elizabeth Nicholls, wife of the deceased, deposed that the last time she j had seen her husband was when he i had had a shave at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. A few seconds later she heard her husband call out ‘‘Ta-ta Mum,” and this was immediately followed by the report of a gun. A neighbour, Wata Tumaru and his daughter, were with witness talking in the kitchen at the time, and Tumaru, after hearing deceased utter his remark, and on hearing the report of the gun, went outside and found the deceased lying alongside the gun. Tumaru immediately went for the assistance of a doctor and the police, and Dr Shackleton and Constable Berry arrived shortly afterwards. Her husband had no money troubles, and he had at no time threatened to take his life. Dr Shackleton stated that at 9 a.m. on Sunday he was called by telephone to the Morven Maori Pah, where he found the body of deceased lying near the back door with a gaping wound on the left side of the throat and head. Life was extinct and death must have been instantaneous, and could have been self-inflicted. The gun in the Court was the one he had seen behind the body. The circumstances pointed

to suicide. Wata Tumaru, a Maori residing at the Morven Pah, stated that he had been sitting in the kitchen in the house occupied by the deceased in company with his own daughter, and was talking to Mrs Nicholls at about 9 a.m. on Sunday. Witness heard the report of a gun and on looking out into the back yard he saw Nicholls lying on his back. Witness immediately sent his daughter home, and from Mr M. Crowe’s house, next door to the occurrence, he rang for the police and a doctor. Witness recognised the gun produced in Court as the property of deceased. Deceased was a good natured man, and witness knew of no circumstances which would cause him to take his own life.

To the Coroner; Witness did not see Nicholls leave the back door, and the only other exit was through Nicholls’ bedroom window. The gun (produced) as far as witness knew, was always left in Nicholls’ bedroom. Constable E. C. Berry. Glenavy, stated that at 9.10 a.m. on Sunday he received a telephone call stating that Nicholls had shot himself. He immediately proceeded to the spot and found Nicholls’ body lying on its back about two yards from the kitchen door with the feet towards the door. There was a gaping wound in the throat and the lower jaw was shot away. A double-barrelled shotgun was lying on the grass near the body. The body had no boots or coat on, and there was no evidence of any struggle in the vicinity. Witness had known the deceased for 20 years, and had always found him a quiet, well-spoken man of good demeanour. Witness had never gained an impression that deceased would take his own life. Witness had made inquiries as police officer, and there was no evidence of drink being connected with the occurrence. Witness knew the deceased to be very affectionate towards his wife, but he frequently seemed to attach importance to things

he had no reason to worry about. Witness knew both Mr and Mrs Nicholls well, and knew of no circumstances which would cause deceased to take his own life. In' answer to the Coroner, Mrs Nicholls said that frequently the de-

ceased did not sleep well at night. The Coroner brought in a verdict that Nicholls died at Morven from a gun-shot wound in the head, and that the wound was self-inflicted.