DEATH OF SHEPHERD.

Wairarapa Age, 7 September 1937, Page 3

DEATH OF SHEPHERD.

Dr. Archer Hosking, Medical Superintendent of the Masterton Hospital, who was called in on Sunday afternoon, said he found the late Mr. McKenzie, who was well known to him, lying on his back on the floor of his whare, near the foot of an arm-chair. Having given further particulars, witness said that, apart from the bullet wound, there were no marks of violence on the body. In his opinion indications pointed to the wound being self-inflicted.

Hylton Brisco, manager of Maungahina station, said the late Mr. McKenzie had been employed on the station for about eight years. On Saturday Mr. McKenzie had dinner with witness and left the house about 6.45 p.m. He appeared to be quite cheerful and his normal self. He was mostly a quiet, retiring sort of man. During dinner Mr. McKenzie «£poke of going out for the evening and witness said he could stay away for the night if he wished. Mr. McKenzie did not give a definite reply, merely remarking: “You might see me in the morning and you might not.’’ He did not give witness any indication as to where he might be going. When Mr. McKenzie did not appear at breakfast, witness did not become anxious as he thought he must be away. In the afternoon he went over to the whare to see if Mr. McKenzie had returned. As the blinds in the whare were pulled down and the door was closed witness thought Mr. McKenzie "was away, but on going into the garage he saw Air. McKenzie's car. From its appearance witness was quite sure the car had not been out of the shed that day. Witness then returned to the whare and found Mr. McKenzie lying wounded on the floor. During his period as manager of the station, witness had usually found the late Mr. McKenzie to be cheerful and a very good worker. They were on the best of terms and on one occasion Mr. McKenzie remarked: “I wish you had been here three months ago.” He gathered that Mr. McKenzie found the strain of managership too much for him. At no time did Air. McKenzie give the slightest indication that he might take his life. As far as witness knew Mr. McKenzie had no financial or other worries, although at times he complained of feeling “dopey.” Witness had never seen him with a rifle and did not know he had one. When he found the injured man he was wearing the same clothes as he had worn on the previous evening. No one on the property heard a report of the rifle on Saturday night. Donald McKenzie, farmer of Woodlands, Masterton, said Afr. McKenzie was his nephew. Until quite recently Mr. McKenzie had been in excellent health. He had taken over the managership of the station temporarily. After about three months he said the job was a bigger one than he had thought and asked to be relieved of the position. He said he did not feel his usual self and appeared to have lost confidence. A new manager was appointed almost immediately and witness thought that after that Mr. McKenzie was considerably better. Witness last saw Mr. McKenzie alive on Thursday last. He gave no indication that he might contemplate taking his life and witness did not think he had worries of any kind. He was a splendid worker and was an expert on stud st ?? k - , He had B ivea every satisfaction while he acted as manager and should have been well qualified to continue in the position.

Constable R. L, Hollis described his visit to Maungahina, accompanied by Sergeant T. H. Dyer and' his subsequent examination of the whare where the body was found. Alongside a nool of blood m the centre of the room was a blood-stained arm-chair. It would appear that at the time of the shooting Mr. McKenzie was sitting in the chair An expended shell found in the nreech of the rifle was of a similar make to a packet of .22 cartridges on the mantlepieee. Two similar cartridges fell from Mr. McKenzie’s pocket while he was on the way to the hospital in the ambulance. There were no apparent signs of a struggle and Mr. Mc- ?®° z I e s P erao ? al had not been " te fl rf r ed Wltlb Wlt “ess was unable to find any note or. letter from Mr. McKenzie. In his opinion there were eirc umstanees surround“L The rifle Was tha Property of the James McKenzie Estate stated Z T V T T retUrUed a V6rdict “

INQUEST ON MR. MdtENZIE

YESTERDAY.

DISTRICT CORONER’S VERDICT.

EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHY WITH PARENTS.

A verdict of death from a gunshot wound, self-inflicted, was re-

turned by the District Coroner, Mr. E. G. Eton, at an inquest ’held yesterday into the circumstances surrounding the death of Robert Morrison McKenzie, who was found critically wounded on Sunday afternoon in his whare on the James McKenzie Estate, Te Ore Ore. The deceased, added Mr. Eton, died as the result of the wound in the Masterton Hospital on Sunday night.

Mr. Eton said the evidence showed that the late Mr. McKenzie had been worried for a time over his responsibilities as manager of the station. When he was relieved of the position at his own request, however, it was thought that he had completely recovered. It was not for the Court to decide upon a reason for the deceased’s action. Mr. Eton expressed the sympathy of the Court with the parents of deceased.

Sergeant T. H. Dyer conducted the proceedings for the police.

The deceased’s father, Roderick Duncan McKenzie, a farmer of Kopuaranga, said his son was 25 years of age and had been employed as a shepherd on the James McKenzie Estate, Maungahina, Te Ore Ore. He last saw him alive about a month ago, when he appeared to be bright and cheerful. On that occasion they had stayed up until midnight discussing a variety of matters relating to stock. His son was keenly interested in diseases of stock and remarked that he might not always be a farmer. The deceased was in the habit of ringing his mother about twice a week. His son. was unconscious when he saw him at the hospital and did not recognise him. The young man was of steady habits and at no time did he intimate that he might consider taking his own life. He had been manager of Maungahina for a time but was inclined to worry about the responsibility and had asked to be relieved of the position. Of late he had been subject to “sleepy turns” and had been advised by his mother to consult a doctor. Since Mr. Brisco had taken over the managership of the station his son had been quite normal and contented. He knew of no reason why his son should have taken his life.