DEATH ON THE MANUKA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2820, 11 July 1916, Page 4

DEATH ON THE MANUKA

PRIVATE JOHN ROSS. With the black flag at the misaen, aiid the company's flag on the fo'csletaeud at half-mast, as the Manuka drew up to the Queen's Wharf in. a smother of rain, it needed no seer to tell that there had been, a fatality on board. Curiously, enough tlio victim ivas a soldier, Private John Ross, of the Sixteenth Reinforcements, \vhu had been on a visit to T.imworth to say good-bye to his people. ThtJ second saloon steward, who knew most about the man, said thait Boss had gone acn>3s to Sydney on the last trip of the Riverina to vistt his native place, Tamwortli (in: New South Wales). When the deceased came on board: it was remarked how feoblo and wasted he looked for a soldier. The man took to his bunk at once, and had been very ill all the way across, complaining of pains in the chest and a feeling as "if fie were all going to pieces." As.it was thought that hie chest was affected, Ross was supplied with hot-water bags, and given medicine, which appeared to give him some little relief. Ho was given an egg-flip yesterday morning, but he gradually grew weaker, and died at 0.30 a.m. The Port Health Officer (Dr. Pollen) examined the body, which, was in a very emaciated condition, and was inclined to attribute death to an acute attack of pneumonia or heart failure. The man's papers showed that he mas 41 years of age. His permit to leave the Dominion was dated June 15, ,and his pay-book shows that ho drew £! as late as June 24. ,The news of the man's death was wirelessed to the Defence authorities, but in the absence of any representative from that Department on the vessel's arrival, the police took charge of tho case.