"Evidence which led to the inference that a man's death had been caused by a bump he said he had received on the head, when actually his death was caused by a tumour on the brain, was revealed at an inquest to-day into the death of William Everiss, aged 57. A cousin of the dead man said Everiss was a soldier stationed on Somes Island. He told witness that when returning from leave aboard the Cobar on September 24 he struck his head. After that he became forgetful, and on one occasion collapsed. He became worse, and on October 21 was too ill to go on leave. He was admitted to hospital on November 3, and died on November 21. His health had been perfect for the previous 20 years. Mr. J. O. Mercer said a postmortem examination revealed a tumour under the surface of the brain, but there was nothing to show that Everiss had suffered any injury of the brain. Witness said he did not think the blow had had any more effect on Everiss than it would have had on a healthy person. The coroner, Mr. W. G. L. Mellish, found that the cause of death was a malignant growth on the brain."

[Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 281, 27 November 1941, Page 5]