INQUEST.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4794, 31 December 1924, Page 2

INQUEST.

THE LATE MR. W. MEDHURST. ACCIDENTAL DROWNING. An inquest concerning the death of the late Mr William Medhurst, whose body was recovered from the Ohinemuri River, Paeroa, yesterday morning, was held in the Courthouse last evening before Mr F. E. Flatt, district coroner. Constable J. McClinchy conducted the proceeding on behalf of the Police, and Mr E. A. Porritt appeared for the relatives of the deceased Reginald Weston Medhurst, son of the deceased, gave evidence that his father, mother, and he had partaken of breakfast together, when deceased appeared to be in his usual state of health and quite cheerful. Deceased went out to sweep up the yard and paths ami witness went to the garage. As witness left deceased remarked that he was going to light the copper lire, About twenty minutes later witness' mother called out and asked if deceased was at the garage, witness replying that he had left his father in the yard. Witness then joined his mother and a complete search of the property was made, but nc trace of deceased could be found. Witness then went into the street and asked several people if they had seen his father. During the past twelve months deceased had been in fairly good health. About six months ago he had been operated on in the Hamilton hospital for eye trouble. One eye had been removed and the sight of the other impaired, necessitating deceased using a walking stick to assist him in getting about. At no time had he complained of his affliction, nor dil he show any signs of depression. There was no cause for worry. He had been in the habit for years of collecting the ashes and rubbish into benzine tins and carrying them across the road and tipping them into the river. Witness had always been a bosom friend of his father, and, generally speaking, the home life had been a very happy one. To Mr Porritt witness said that dectosed and his mother had attended the pictures on Saturday night, and on Monday evening the two of them went for a walk. Apart from the sight affliction deceased had enjoyed reasonably good health. He had no financial worries, and in witness’ opinion possessed his full mental faculties. Gilbert Thos. Smith, medical practit'enei. Paeroa, stated that he had known deceased for about 25 years. He had viewed the body at the morgue and from his examination found that the body was well nourished, and the appearance was consistent with drowning. There were no marks of violence on the body. Witness was of the opinion that decased had met his death by drowning. He had been a personal friend of deceased's and his family, and as far as he knew the home life had been a happy one, with no worries to cause depression.

Takob Bertelsen, farmer, Paeroa, said that he had known deceased for the last 30 years, and had been his neighbour for a number of years. Witness stated that he was sitting on his verandah yesterday morning and noticed deceased sweeping the yard. A little later he saw deceased drop the broom and walk through the front gate carrying a benzine tin. Deceased walked on towards the river, but witness did not take any particular heed because it had been the habit of deceased to empty tins of rubbish in the river. There was nothing .unusual in deceased’s manner to arouse suspicion. To Mr Porritt witness sari that he last spoke to deceased on Saturday, when he appeared to be his usuhl self. Deceased had told him. that apart from the loss of his eye he felt in good health. To the coroner witness said he did. not in any way feel uneasy when he saw deceased walking towards the river.

John McClinchy constable in charge at Paeroa, stated that after being notified tliat Mr Medhurst was missing. lie proceeded to the river bank at the end of Queen Street and found traces of a footmark on the edge of the river. One footprint indicated that tlie person had slid into the river. Procuring grappling iro.ns and a boai, he commenced to search the river in the vicinity, and with the assistance of a native named Harry WielilTe tlie body was recovered after about an hour's search. The body was taken to the morgue. To Mr Porritt witness said that* the bank where the footprints were found was steep and slippery. During the dragging operations a number of benzine tins were recovered, including one containing ashes that were dry underneath. Judging by the tins recovered it was apparent that that particular spot had been used as a dump for many years.

At Mr Porritt's request David Brown, manager of the Farmers’ Union Trading Co., Paero.a, gave evidence, stating that he had known deceased intimately for '.he last two years. During a conversation extending over an hour on Monday afternoon deceased seemed his normal self, showed no signs of depression, and was quite normal when witness left liini. Recently deceased had discussed a holiday which he and Mrs Medhurst proposed taking after the New Year, and deceased had looked forward to it with keen anticipation. Wibiess gave corroborative evidence as to the steep and slippery nature of the bank where deceased had evidently slipped. It was quite possible that deceased slipped into the water without realising how close he was to the ecge of the water. The coroner returned the following verdict : “That William Medhurst had met his death by drowning in the Ohinemuri River, Paeroa, an Tuesday, December 30. 1924, and that the evidence had shown that the unfortunate occurrence had been purely accidental. It wak evident that deceased had gone to the riverbank «o tip rubbish, as had been his custom, and owing to his impaired sight had misjudged the distance from the bank to the river.”