POLICE INQUIRING INTO FATAL INJURIES TO A PATEA MAN

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 November 1946, Page 6

POLICE INQUIRING INTO FATAL INJURIES TO A PATEA MAN

FOUND UNCONSCIOUS IN A STREET Head injuries received in an unknown manner some t w ie on Saturday night, or early Suooay morning, caused the death at the Patea Public Hospital yesterday of a 43-year-old railway surfaceman, Mr. Stewart Metcalf Blair, who lived in a railway hut at Castlemere, Patea. Police inquiries are being made as to whether the fatal injuries were suffered in a fall down some steps at a party Mr. Blair attended on Saturday night, or whether they were suffered after his departure from the party, and how they were caused. Mr. Blair was found unconscious in Essex Street, Patea, at 4.30 o'clock 0/ Sunday morning. Mr. R. Christensen, who found him, could tell that Blau had been taking liquor, and thought that his stupor had been caused by excessive drinking. Accordingly he transported Blair to his hut at Castlemere. Throughout Sunday Blair’s fellowworkmen tended him, but it was not until Monday morning that they realised he was suffering from more than a hang-over. There was no apparent' injury, but when he showed no signs of recovery, Dr. W. T. Simmons was summoned and had Blair removed to the Patea Public Hospital.

The discovery was made that Blair was suffering from pressure on the brain. An operation was performed to remove the pressure, but Blair died at 7 a.m. yesterday. An inquest, for identification purposes, was opened yesterday afternoon before the district coroner, Mr. E. F. Hemingway, J.P., and adjourned sine die.

Police inquiries, supervised by De-tective-Sergeant J. K. Robertson, of Wanganui, have been initiated to ascertain how Blair came by the injuries which led to his death.

It is known that on Saturday night Blair attended a party, and while there fell down some steps. Those present did not think that Blair had been hurt in the fall. After sleeping awhile Blair left the party. What happened in the interval after he left until he was found lying in tne street early on Sunday morning is as yet unknown.