AN INQUEST.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1927, Page 2

AN INQUEST.

(!H I‘IYAIOLTII. January 5. A colonial inquiry into the death of John Gibb, who was drowned in the Grew Diver last Wednesday, was made by .Mr W. Meldrmn. SAI., at the .Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, 'file proceedings were conducted by Senior-Sergeant McCarthy. Evidence was given by Baden V atkins, coal miner, ol Dobson, that he knew the deceased. On the afternoon of December 29th, witness, the deceased. and a brother, James Gibb, went for a swim at the Dobson rocks. They swain across the riv«*. and when witness had just about reached the far side he heard deceased call out. He turned round and saw that Gibb had got two-thirds of the way across and was in difficulties. Witness went hack to him and asked him il he had cramp. The deceased shook his head. Tie was swimming breast stroke and witness told him to turn over on his hack, and he shook his head again. Witness advised him to keep cool and he would get hack alright. Witness helped him until he reached the current, where ho struggled to get along, hut could make no headway. While struggling witness himself lost consciousness, and when he regained his senses lie was lying on the rocks. The deceased was a good swim-

•lames Gibb, coal minor, residing at Dobson, stated that his brother was 26 years of age. ITe had been out only two days from the Old Country. AN itness had got to the oilier side of the river when he heard his brother call out. He turned round and saw Watkins going to his assistansee. Witness also went to him and told him to keep his head and continue swimming. "Witness tried to help hint and told him to turn on his hack but he would not do so. About 20 feet from the hank the deceased sank, and witness dived and brought him up. They were in the current and witness was unable to keep his brother up and he got away. NYitliess had difficulty in getting ashore. Witness had never been in swimming at this portion of the river, hut had been in from the other side a few days before,

Frank Glenn, miner, deposed that at about 2 p.m. yesterday lie was walking along Greyniouih wharf when lie saw a body Hunting down the river. He followed it down and eventually recovered it near the Tip Head. . The police were notified and the body, which was that of the deceased, was eventually taken to the morgue. The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased was accidentally drowned in the Grey River near the Dobson rocks on December 29. Every possible effort was made by his brother James Gibb and Baden Watkin to rescue him in the rapid current, and both deserved praise for the risks they ran in their attempts to save him.