TRAGEDY AT WHARF.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18479, 5 September 1925, Page 14

TRAGEDY AT WHARF.

INQUEST AT LYTTELTON. An inquest concerning the death of the child Doreen Cuff, who was drowned at the Lyttelton ferry wharf on Thursday evening, was held yesterday before Air H. Y. YViddowson, Coroner, at Lyttelton.

Archibald Cuff, the father of the child, said he was a miner at Blackball. He arrived in Lyttelton lroin the West Coast on Thursday evening with the intention of proceeding to Wellington with his two children. On leaving the train at the ferry wharf a rollow-pas-senger, a man, took charge of the child Doreen, and carried her along to the ticket office. Thinking she was in safe keeping, witness proceeded to get the steamer tickets. On turning away from the ticket box he saw the child alongside the steamer, reaching out with both hands to touch it. lie saw her fall between the wharf and the fehip, and gave the alarm. He detailed how every effort wa» made by some of the Union Company's men to save the child, and said that he was satisfied that everything possible had been done by all concerned. Dr. R. J. B. Hall, medical officer of the N.Z. Shipping Co.'s liner Hororata, said ho took change of the jbody immediately it was taken put of the water. On examination he thought that the cSild was then dead. He carried out artificial respiration methods for three-quarters of an hour, without success. In his opinion death was j caused by drowning. . 1 John Gillett Sterling, watermder, said ho recovered the body from the water. . 1 Thd Coroner, in returning a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, said he wished to remark it waa one of the saddest cases he had ever experienced. Ho extende-1 his sincere sympathy to the father. Every credit was due to those concerned m the rescue, and to Dr. Hall for what he bad df>ne..