UNEXPLAINED OCCURRENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1043, 4 February 1911, Page 5

UNEXPLAINED OCCURRENCE.

LIFE LOST AT THE WHARF. ."A woman's scream attracted tho attrition of tho hartimir'' officials in tho tolls office at the head of the Queen's Wharf about 9.45 o'clock last night to tho fact that something untoward- had happened. • Mr. W. Meredith, tolls -office night-watchman, ■ and others who happened to bo in tho. vicinity, at tho time, at oiice ran towards the edge of the wharf, alongsido which the hulls Oreti was moored, and heard a man's voico coming from the water between the. hulk and tho wharf calling for help. Tho night was dark, and it was raining and blowing heavily at tho I time." Meredith called out, "Iveop your jhcad:-- Hang on to the stringer!" and then ran to the tolls office for a pole; No light was available, but a bystander ! struck matches, and endeavoured to ! locate the figure in .the water. . Tho wind, however, blew out tho matches, and heforo assistance could be given the cries ceased, -i Mr. Meredith at : once rang up the police, and they procured a lamp, and made a thorough search underneath tho wharf, and about the sceno of the accident, but without result. From the timo of tho woman's cry 7 until tho final sound from 'tho drowning man about three minutes had elapsed, and, under the circumstances, everything possible was (lone by the harbour officials and others ■ present.

It is stated that tho man who lost liis ilife is-Mr. J. Briggs, hulk-keeper on •board tho Wnnganui' and Wellington Steam Packet Company's bulk Oroti. How he came to bo in the water is not , known. It is, however, surmised that 'he'was proceeding on board tho vessel, and in doing so slipped on the staging, which is used for running baskets of coal along tp tho vessels which the hulk coals. Between 8.30 and 8.45 o'clock last evening deceased was in tho tolls office, and, about live minutes to nine, Constable Tate saw him on or near tho gangway. , This morning the hulk will be taken away from the scene of the fatality, and the water in .'the vicinity will bo'drac«ed.