STOCK AGENT SHOOTS HIMSELF AFTER BEING INTERVIEWED BY POLICE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18056, 17 January 1927, Page 4

STOCK AGENT SHOOTS HIMSELF AFTER BEING INTERVIEWED BY POLICE

Special to the “ Star.”) TEMUKA, January !6.

On Saturday evening the body of Mr Sydney. E. Nicholas, stock agent employed by Pvne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd. at Temuka, was found with a gunshot wound in the head. At the inquest which was held in the Courthouse, Temuka, yesterday afternoon before the district Coroner, Mr C. R. Orr-Walker, the evidence disclosed that deceased had gone in his car f*o Tarrant's Road, about four miles from Temuka and borrowed a shot gun from a resident in the vicinity, intimating that it was for shooting hares. About two hours later the body was discovered by Miss M. Tarrant. Sergeant Dwan gave evidence that tho police had interviewed the deceased recently in connection with a charge of a somewhat serious nature which deceased strongly denied. Deceased seemed to be under the impression that the charge would be brought against him, but this impression had not emanated from the police as there was a possibility that the charge would not eventuate. The Coroner found that death was caused by a gunshot wound in the head, being self inflicted while deceased was in a distressed state of mind. The deceased was widely known in South Canterbury and was considered one of the smartest stock agents in the district.