MARATOTO FATALITY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5500, 13 November 1929, Page 2

MARATOTO FATALITY.

THE INQUEST. ACCIDENTAL DROWNING. The adjourned inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Percival Ernest Brunton, who lost his life at Maratoto on Saturday, was held at Maratoto yesterday before Mr F. E. Flatt, coroner. Edward Dye, junr., said he was a miner employed at the Ohinemuri gold and silver mines, Maratoto, and resided in a hut on the edge of the creek with Bennett White. He was at home all day on Saturday. A heavy rain set in at 12 noon, with thunder and lightning, and at about 1.30 p.m. he noticed the river rise rapidly and a wall of water about 10ft high come round the bend in the river. His attention was drawn to a man being whirled round in the water. He also noticed a hut occupied by Mr J. Noble coming down the river. At that time the man disappeared. As the man did not shout or call he formed the opinion that he was then unconscious. There was timber’ all round him, only his head being visible. He reported to Mr Noble, and they searched for the body until dark with no success. He arranged with Constable McClinchy to renew the search in the morning, but about 8 o’clock next morning he received word that the body had been found by Maoris. He did not see the body after that. He knew the deceased well.

George Charles Fitchl'said he was with Edward Dye, junr., during the whole of the time, and agreed with what he had stated.

Rose Beatrice Pratt, wife of John R. Pratt, who kept a store and cookhouse at the works of the mining company, said the deceased had his dinner at noon. He appeared in good health and did not complain of sickness. He bought some tobacco, and at about 1.15 returned for a cup of water for shaving, and also for tobacco for his mate. After he had left it rained heavily? with thunder and lightning. On being called by her husband, she looked out and saw' a wall of water, trees, and stones rushing down towards her place. She rushed out to save her fowls, and noticed the flow of waterstrike two houses. One, occupied by Mr Noble, floated away, and the fiveroomed cottage occupied by the deceased was struck by a big tree and completely broken up. She saw' nothing of deceased, although she was certain he was in the hut. Frank McKenzie stated that he was a miner employed tyy the Ohinemuri Gold and Silver Mines Co. at Maratoto and came off shift at 8 a.m. on Saturday last. He occupied a hut with another man on the opposite side of the river to the township and on the side of the main road. It rained heavily about noon, w'ith thunder and lightning. Between 1.30 and 2.30 p.m. he w'as watching the river rising rapidly, and heavy timber was coming down. ’Suddenly he heard a terrific roaring, and a mass of timber and water swung round the bend in the river. He and his mate quickly warned the people on the opposite side. He saw the house occupied by deceased move off down-stream and break. As the w'alls parted he saw a man throw up his arms several times, but he did not know who it was. The man disappeared among a lot of timber and debris round a bend of the creek. Constable McClinchy of Paeroa stated that at about 2.30 p.m. on Saturday last he received a telephone message from J. Noble, manager of the battery at the Ohinemuri gold and silver mines, Maratoto, that a cloud had burst in the ranges, doing much damage at the mines and township, and that a man, P. E. Brunton, had been w’ashed down-stream. He immediately left by car for Maratoto, arriving about a quarter of a mile from the battery at 3.30 o’clock He joined five men who were searching the riverbank, and they made two parties and searched the river as far as Martin’s ford, a distance of about seven miles. They discontinued at 7 p.m. owing to darkness, and organised a search party for next morning. He returned to Paeroa, and next morning (Sunday) he took Constable Dawson with him and they started operations at the Hikutaia bridge, working toward Maratoto to meet the other search party. They met two natives, who said they had searched the river from their place to that point. They took the main road to Maratoto and met a native who told them that the body was on the opposite side of the river. They found the body Reside a large log and half covered with sand. They brought the body to the morgue at Paeroa and discovered three nasty wounds on the forehead. The left jaw was slightly swollen and bruised, and there was a deep wound on the back of the head, skin off both elbows, a deep \yound on the left shin, and minor bruises on both shoulders. His opinion was that the man was stunned before being drowned, the reason for his statement being the wounds on the forehead and the evidence of witnesses that he was among heavy timber when in the river. When he discovered the body it was fully clothed with the exception of a coat. The Verdict. The coroner’s verdict was that the deceased, Percival Ernest Brunton, was accidentally drowned in the Hikutaia stream, Maratoto, between the hours of 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9, 1929, the cause being a phenomenal flood following on a torrential storm. The coroner expressed the opinion that the extraordinary rapidity with which the waters rose and subsequently fell, and the large quantity of heavy timber and boulders that came down, pointed to either a heavy cloudburst or the temporary damming up of the waters in the Whakamoehau stream. It was pleasing to know that every effort was made by both the residents and the police to recover, under adverse conditions, the body of the deceased. The deceased was well respected among his mates and friends, and the Court expressed deep sympathy with the wife and relatives in their unexpected and sad loss.