“Last evening the Whangarei Police received notice from the Whangarei Heads that a settler had been found dead on his bed with a revolver wound in his forehead. The deceased was Robert Gillespie, aged 33, who was a farmer at Taurikura, about two miles from the wharf. As no particulars concerning the tragedy were forthcoming from the informants, a special launch was engaged and Dr. Ward. Detective de Norville and Constable Power made the trip down to the scene of the fatality late last evening. Upon arrival the party made its way to Gillespie's farm and found deceased, dressed in his working clothes, lying dead with an army service revolver held in both hands and still pointing to his forehead. The body was brought to Whangarei, arriving this morning, and an inquest will be opened this afternoon.

It appears that deceased was last seen alive by a neighbouring settler on Wednesday evening upon his return from a visit to Whangarei. Indications pointed to his having changed his clothes and having half completed the evening milking of his cows prior to occurrence of the fatality.

Deceased was a returned soldier and a member of the Auckland Returned Soldiers Association, his regimental number,13/312, indicating that he was a member of the Main Body Mounteds. He held the rank of lieutenant, and hailed from Hunua, whither advice of his decease has been forwarded by the police.”

[Northern Advocate, 30 October 1920, Page 2]