"TWO MEN AND WOMAN DEAD. MAN FROM LISMORE A VICTIM. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A shooting tragedy in which three persons were killed occurred at the house of Mrs A. E. Dron, Marshlands road, Balcairn, on Saturday evening. Those dead are: Victor David Skilling, aged 29, a soldier on leave from Burnham Camp, who before enlistment lived at Lismore, Mrs Alice Emily Dron, a widow, aged 62, of Marshlands Road, Balcairn and Omihi Frances Conway Burrows, a single man, aged 45, who lived alone on a farm near Waipara.

According to statements made to tlie police, Skilling was a guest at. the house of Mrs Dron. During the evening meal those at the table noticed a man; whom they recognised as Burrows, looking through the window. About 8.30 p.m. when the party was chatting over the table, Burrows again appeared at the window with a gun, with which he shot Skilling through the head.

Mrs Dron, who had been in the kitchen, came into the room to aid Skilling, Burrows came in through the door. He reloaded the gun and at point-blank range shot Mrs Dron.

Burrows then chased the other members of the family, Florence Ivy Dron and her younger sister, Alicia, who, with a young invalid brother, escaped to a neighbouring farm.

A little later another shot was heard and Burrows was found lying on the road near the house shot through the head, with a single-barrel shot-gun beside the body.

Sergeant Victor David Skilling was the elder son of Mr and Mrs W. J. Skilling, who have lived at Lismore for 30 years, where his father is employed by Mr R. J. Mulligan. He was 29 years old. Sergeant Skilling was a returned soldier, having served for over three years in the Pacific, where he was mentioned in dispatches. He will be buried at Ashburton to-morrow, with full military honours. Sergeant Skilling was very highly thought of by the residents of the Lismore district.

[Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 140, 26 March 1945, Page 2]