A TRAGIC OCCURRENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2597, 3 September 1909, Page 4

A TRAGIC OCCURRENCE.

SUDDEN DEATH OF MU. W. D.

a m ost distressing fatality occurred •in town last evening, when, at about 738 nm. Mr. William D.xon Livick, j.'jnf f ‘,i er k at the local Post Office, -droi«l dUnonthef«tpath in Gladstone Road, just opposite the Coronation Hotel, and almost immediately exoired vtfheu he was seen to fall a number of bystanders rushed to Mr. LWick’s assistance, and after removing his collar and loosening his clothing, carried him into asu e room' m the hotel. Dr. J. Clive Collins was hastily summoned, and arrived almost immediately but after a brief examination he pronounced life to be extinct. I.he police were at once telephone*! for and .Sergeant Hutton, who was quickly on the scene, took charge of the body, which was afterwards removed to the morgue, where it now lie.-j pending instructions from the District Coroner (Mr. \V. A. Barton, S-M-), regarding +lip necessity or otherwise of holding an inquest. Mr. Barton is at present at Waipiro Bay, and a reply from him will probably be received this morning. The deceased gentleman leaves a wife-and son and daughter to mourn his death, his son being in the employ of the Union Steamship Company. Shortly after 7 p.ro. last evening, Air Liviek was standing at the door of the Post Office, when ho spoke to two of the Post Office employees, Air. Shaw and another. Air, Shaw remarked that it was a fine night, and Air. Liviek slowly replied “Yes, a fine night to he out.” He then walked along Gladstone Road, and very shortly afterwards was seized with the attack which f ended in his death. - According to the story of an eye witness Air. A. J. Alalcolm, an employee of the Borough Council, Air. Liviek was return in « r down Gladstone Load from the direction of Lowe Street, when, just opposite tho Coronation Hotel, he stopped and turned his head apparently to look at the Salvation Army Biorama Bind, which was just passing the spot. Just as ho did so, he raised his head suddenly, and almost immediately his knees appeared to give way under him, and he fell heavily backward, striking his head on the pavement. W hen assisting to carry Mr. Liviek into the hotel, Air. Alalcolm heard a slight "urgling sound come from their burden, and as has been said when Mr. Liviek was laid down in. the hotel it was ascertained that he was quite The cause of death is generally felt to be heart failure, an opinion which is verified by Drs. Collins and Reeve. The latter gentleman was consulted by Air. Liviek some two months ago, and was then suffering from a severe form of indigestion, and also from heart trouble. Last week Air. Liviek complained to Air. AY. AVhinray that his heart was troubling him a good deal, and that he would have to be careful. It has also been noticed by several of the employees of the Post Office that the deceased gentleman had been subject to rather bad turns, accompanied by lack of energy and red flushes in the face. Sergeant Hutton thinks that all the circumstances surrounding the death point to the fact that the Coroner may not deem it necessary to order that an inquest shall be held. The deceased gentleman resided at Parau Street, Kaiti, and was a brother of Airs AY.Quigley, of Palmerston Road, and a peagliar fact is that the late Air. Quigley, who practised as an architect in Gisborne, met his death, in a precisely similar manner about three or four years, ago, falling down dead in Palmerston Road while on his way home to dinner one day. Air. Liviek, who was born in 1852, had a long record of service in the Postal Department. He joined as a cadet in the early seventies, and after, passing through the Napier, Wellington, and Nelson offices, he was in 1907 promoted to the position of chief clerk at Thames, receiving further promotion in Alarch, ISOB, to a similar position in Gisborne, which he held until his death. Although only a comparatively short time in Gisborne, Air. Liviek, by bis sterling qualities, had endeared himself to the staff of the: local Post Office, by whom he was greatly respected. He was a member of the Church of England, and his untimely end was deeply deplored by his many friends when the news became known. The sad intelligence was conveyed to Airs. Liviek by a couple of the members of the Post Office staff, and she was naturally terribly upset and distressed. Alany messages of sympathy were received by her during last evening, and very kindly assistance was- rendered by* several neighbors.