HUNTER WILL CASE IS NOW ADJOURNED

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19258, 20 December 1930, Page 30 (Supplement)

HUNTER WILL CASE IS NOW ADJOURNED

RESUMED HEARING SET DOWN FOR FEBRUARY Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, December 19. Continuing his address for the defence, so far as Lady Hunter is concerned, in the Hunter will case in the Supreme Court, Mr G. G. Watson said that £5500 would be required to pay debts and amounts owing by the late Sir George Hunter. Evidence then was called. Margaret Ellen Tansey, trained nurse, said that on September 26, 1929. the date on which Sir George had his stroke, she was called to the Dixon Street house. Sir George was in a semicomatose condition. He *took no notice of things. Witness did not think he knew what was going on. The first time Sir George spoke was the next morning, to Dr Steele. The semi-coma-tose condition, as far as she could recollect, lasted four or five days. Sister West was day nurse and witness night nurse, but from December 19 until Sir George’s death witness was in continuous attendance on him day and night. After about five or six weeks Sir George was taken out on the verandah during the day. From witness’s experience Sir George’s apoplexy was fairly severe. After the semi-coma-tose condition had passed away an improvement could be noticed, more physically than mentally. Sir George slurred his words for some time, and on occasions used wrong words. That was done in Dr Steele’s presence. Once Dr Steele winked at witness and nothing was said. Mr Watson said he had to ask witness a question as to whether Dr Steele winked because unconsciously he hurt the feelings of witness’s colleague the other day. Mr Watson: Did you or did.you not observe that Sir George had any difficulty in articulating his words? Witness said that Sir George did not improve mentally to any extent until after his return from Rptorua. She accompanied Sir George to Rotorua. Did he read the papers?—Very little. He used to depend on me to give him the news. Took No Interest. Witness said she used to try to encourage Sir George to read and take an interest in things. It was difficult to get him to take an interest in anything. He preferred to be left alone and hardly ever commenced a conversation with witness. Conversation and visitors tired him, and he avoided visitors as much as he could, although at this time it was part of the treatment to encourage him to see visitors. The position was the same in Rotorua. In regard to his letters did you ever see him read a letter on his own?—No. Did, or did not the nurses in attendance have to be firm or be peremptory in their terms in giving instructions to Sir George?—Oh, yes. We had to. Witness said Dr Steele also had to “speak up” to Sir George. It had been a subject of complaint by Lady Hunter. Only once had Sir George complained to witness. That was at Rotorua, as a result of some instruction given by witness. The fact that Sir George complained witness took to indicate an improvement in mental alertness. It was necessary to speak firmly to him, because he appeared to be mentally dull. Some time in July last Sir George commenced going to Parliament and took his seat in the House for a short time in the afternoon. Witness or Lady Hunter used to accompany him and sit in the ladies’ gallery while he was in the House. In the evenings witness used to talk about what she had heard in Parliament, and Sir George had said, “Sister, I get very 'tired after about ten minutes and don’t take any interest.” When witness sometimes inquired about members who sat next him Sir George said he knew them quite well but could not remember their names for the moment. Idolised Betty. Witness said Sir George idolised Betty. In conversation Sir George had said Betty would have the station and the Dixon Street house, she thought. In answer to ‘Mr Gray witness said that for the first three months she was only night nurse. She had no conversation with Sir George worth speaking about until after she went on day duty. Replying to further questions by Mr Gray, Nurse Tansey said Lady Hunter had written to-her stating she would like to see her. From what Lady Hunter said at the interview witness gathered' that Betty had not been left as well off as she anticipated. She understood that Betty was to receive £4OO a year until she was twenty-one, after which she was to receive various sums totalling £IO,OOO. Do you remember hearing that Sir George had several visitors during the first week of his illness?—l remember Sister West telling me Mr Coates was there one day. Have you any experience of anyone recovering from an apoplectic seizure as quickly as Sir George Hunter did? Well, I don’t think Sir George Hunter recovered very quickly mentally and physically/ He did very well. With reference to the statement that Sir George sometimes used the wrong word in conversation witness said she was unable to recall any particular word. Mr Gray asked witness if she thought she ever tired Sir George with her talk. “Are you what you describe as a pleasant, chatty nurse?” he asked. “Oh, I don’t know,” replied witness, laughing. Mr Gray: But are you?—Oh, yes, I think so. (Laughter.) The case was adjourned until February 16.