SUICIDE OF A. PASSENGER ON BOARD THE TARANAKI.

Evening Star, Issue 4141, 5 June 1876, Page 3

SUICIDE OF A. PASSENGER ON BOARD THE TARANAKI.

A very melancholy occurrence took place on board the Taranaki on the night of May 29 dmjng.her. voyage from Lyttelton 1 to this port, no less than the disappearance of one of the saloon passengers, named W. H. Bass,, who went on board at Lyttelton with the intention of proceeding to Auckland. When the unfortunate man .joined the steamer he was evidently very much under the influence of liquor, and it is supposed that he mpat have been attacked during the night a, fit of delenum tremens, and that he jumped, overboard, for he was miming this morning, while a brandy bottle hag empty waa found in his berth. Bass, who wtuMOmut thirty years of age, was the mate of a .small vessel trading out of Lyttelton, and had a wife and family at the Manukau, Ixm steward on board the TaranakLseeing his condition, would not supply him with any liquor, but he had taken a bottle of brandy ;on board with him. About midnight he became very violent, and was assisted oh deck, as he said if left there he wound soon come round. He was never seemafterwards. The inquiry did not elicit any > information beyond that published above.- Nothing more can be done in the matter, and Mr Bass’s disappearance will have to remain unexplained, save by the reasonable .supposition, founded on strong substantia] evidence, that, he jumped overboard in a fit of delirium tremens ‘ Post.’