DROWNING FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2378, 12 January 1922, Page 2

DROWNING FATALITY.

COR O2siAL ENQUIRY:

An enquiry was heid in flit* house yesterday morning into the circumstances surrounding the death of Laura Louisa Henskie, before Mr J. K. Hornblow, aetingcoroner, and the following jury : Messrs T. Chaffey (foreman), Hinds, Laing and C. King. Frederick Arthur Henskie, father of deceased, said the last time he saw his daughter alive was on the morning of Sunday, Bth January. She was employed by Mrs Wright, of Ravensworth Place. Deceased was apparently in good health when he last saw her. She was 14 years 10 months old.

Mrs Wright, of Ravensworth Place, said deceased was in her employ. On the morning of Sunday the Bth inst., deceased fainted while at work, but subsequently did not complain. She ate her meals as usual. She had some days previously expressed a desire to go down to the river with the boys, and learn to swim. At about 7.15 on Sunday evening deceased left the house, in company with witness and her grandson, Irwin Wright, to go for a bathe. Before! leaving the house deceased changed-into some bathing clothes, including a skirt, and put on an overcoat. When they arrived at, the river, they both sat on a boat and waited for her grandson to undress. Her grandson was the first to go into the water. The water was about waist deep. Deceased then took off her coat and gave it to witness. Witness told deceased not to go in, as it was too cold. She went in and took hold of Wright’s arm. She then ducked under the water, and when she came up she exclaimed that the water was lovely. She then went down again still holding Wright’s arm. Both then disappeared, and witness saw both of them rolling out into deej water. They both reappeared about four feel from the spot where thej first went down, only in deep water Witness then noticed that they were in difficulties, and called to William Reiter, who was in the punt at Levin and Co’s wharf, about a chain away. Retter came immediately. Both deceased and Wright then reappeared for the last time together. They immediately disappeared again, and while below the surface deceased lost her grip of Wright, and lie alone appeared again on the surface, and just managed to crawl nut in a very exhausted state. Retler dived in, hut failed to find the girl. He dived several times, but was unsuccessful. Witness immediately communicated with the police. Irwin Cecil Wright, in giving evidence, said that deceased had, a week previously, expressed a wish to learn to swim. She asked if she could go down with the boys and (earn. On Sunday evening last he, deceased, and his grandmother left the house at about 7.30 to go for p. swim. He left them both a boat while he went to When he had changed he dived into, ihe water and swam down to where they were. Deceased then came iif and he told her not to go too far out, as it was deep. She did not say anything, but went out and took his arm. She ducked under twice. On the second occasion she must have slipped on the muddy bottom, as she rolled out towards deep water, still grasping him and dragging-him with her. They both came to the surface about four feet furI her out towards the stream, in deep water. They both went down three times. He was unable to do anything, as deceased had a firm hold of his arm, and was facing him. On sinking the fourth time deceased let go her grip on him, and he rose to the surface, and managed to crawl out in a very exhausted condition. As he rose the last, time he saw deceased’s hands just as she was sinking. That was the last he saw of her. William Retter deposed that on [lie evening in question he was on one of Levin and Co’s punts. He was going for a swim. He noticed Wright and deceased in 1 he water. Mrs Wright called to him that the swimmers were in difficulties. He immediately ran to the spot. He tell on the way, as iiie ground was very muddy and slippery. When he arrived there Wright had just crawled out, and he noticed deceased’s head and hands disappearing. He immediately dived in at the spot where he noticed deceased sink, but was unable to find her owing to the deplh and muddy state of the water. Tie considered there was sufficient undercurrent to carry a person off their feet if in the water up to the neck. He dived several times, but was unable to find deceased. Deceased uttered no cry whatever. George Thomas Rimmer, builder, deposed that he assisted in dragging for the body. On the 10th instant he and his son were dragging, he rowing, and his son holding the line, when the son said that the line had caught on something. On investigaling lie discovered that they had caught the body. He immediately communicated with the police, who took charge of the body. Robert Owen, constable, said that about 7.30 on Sunday last lie was on the wharf, when a lad named Walls informed lvim that Miss Henskie had been drowned, He immediately went to the scene, and saw Wright in a very exhausted condition on the bank. He sent his daughter with two other men-to the police station for grappling irons, while he kept watch on the bank for the body. Two little boys said that they had seen the. body a chain further down the river. He was unable to find any signs of the body. Dragging operations were at once commenced, and kept up until Hie body was re-

covered. On the evening of the 10th January he was informed that the body had been recovered, and he at oncie took charge of it, and had it edifveyed to the residence of the jiarents, in Robinson Street. The features of deceased were consistent with that of a drowned person. The mud at the spot where the fatality. occurred was very soft and sticky.

A verdict of accidental drowning was returned.