SHEPHERD’S DEATH

Wairarapa Daily Times, 7 September 1937, Page 6

SHEPHERD’S DEATH

- ❖ INQUEST IN MASTERTON. CORONER’S VERDICT. A verdict of death from a gunshot wound, self-inflicted, was returned by the District Coroner, Mr. E. G. Eton, at an inquest held yesterday into the circumstances surrounding the deathi o Robert Morrison McKenzie, who was found critically wounded on Sunday afternoon in Ins whare on the James McKenzie Estate, Te O re Ore, The deceased, added Mr. Eton, died as the xesv.lt of the, wound in the Masterton Hospital bn Sunday night, _ Air Eton said the evidence showed that the late Mr. McKenzie had oeen worried for a time over his responsiSs as manager of the station. When he was relieved of the position at his own request, however, it was thought that lie had completely recovered. It was not for the Court to decide upon a reason for the deceases s action. Mr. Eton expressed the sympathy of the Court wnh the pare ms of deceased. Sergeant T. 11. Dyer conducted the proceedings for the police. . , 1 The deceased’s father, RodervA Duncan McKenzie, a farmer of Kopuaranga, said his son was 2o >eai» ct ao-e and had been employed as a shepherd on the James McKenzie Estat, Maungaliina, Te Ore Ore. He last him alive about a month ago, when h appeared to be bright and eheeif 1. On that occasion they had stayed u until midnight discussing a variety ox matters relating to stomv His. was keenly interested m diseases of stock and remarked that he imgat rot always be a farmer. The decease I wu. in the habit of ringing his motner about twice a week. Hm son was unconscious when he saw him at the hospital and did not recognise him. Ike 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 Maungaliina for a time but was inclined to worry about the responsibility and had asked to be relieved of the position Or late he had been subject to ® lee P. 3 ' 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. „ Dr. Archer Hosking, Medical Supeiintendent of the Masterton Hospital, who was called in on Sunday afternoon, said he found the late Mr. MeKenzie, who was well known to him, lying on his back on tlie floor of his whare, near the foot of an arm-chair ' Having given further particulars, wit- , ness said that, apart from the bullet wound, there were no marks of violence on the body. In his opinion in- j dications pointed to the wound being self-inflicted. I Hylton Brisco, manager of Alaunga- . hina station, said the late Mr. McKen- ] zie had been employed on the station for about eight years. On Saturday ; Air. AlcKenzie 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 Air. AlcKenzie .spoke of going out for j the evening and witness said he could j stay away for the night if he wished. I Air. AlcKenzie 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. AVhen Air. AlcKenzie 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. i c- ( Kenzie had returned. As the blinds j in the whare were pulled down and the door was closed witness thought Mi. i AlcKenzie was away, but on going into j 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. AVitness then returned to the whare and found Mi. AlcKenzie lying wounded on the floor. During his period as manager of the station, witness had usually found the late Air. McKenzie to be cheerful and a very good worker. They were, on the best of terms and on one occasion Mr. AlcKenzie remarked: “I wish you had been here three months ago.” He gathered that Air. AlcKenzie found the strain of managership too much for him. At no time did Mr.. McKenzie give the slightest indication that he might take his life. As far as witness knew Air. AlcKenzie 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 as he had worn on the previous evening. No one on the property heard a report of the rifle on Saturday night. Donald AlcKenzie, farmer of Woodlands, Alasterton, said . Mr.. AlcKenzie was his nephew.’ Until quite recently Mr. AlcKenzie 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 Air. AlcKenzie was considerably better. Witness last saw Air. AlcKenzie 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 stock. He had given 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 bv i Sergeant T, H. Dyer and his subsequent examination of the whare where the body was found. Alongside a pool of blood in the centre of the room was a blood-stained arm-chair. It would appear that at the time of the shooting Air. McKenzie was sitting in the chair. An expended shell four.d in the breech of the rifle was of a similar make to a packet of .22 cartridges on the mantlepieee. Two similar cartridges fell from Air. McKenzie’s pocket while he was on the way to the hospital in the ambulance. There were no apparent signs of a struggle and Air. AlcKenzie ’s personal effects had not been interfered with. AVitness was unable to find any note or letter from Air. McKenzie. In liis opinion there were no suspicious circumstances surround-

ing the death. The rifle was the property of the James McKenzie Estate. The Coroner returned a verdict as stated above.