DROWNING FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2928, 27 August 1925, Page 2

DROWNING FATALITY.

COROXTAL INQUIRY.

The inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Thomas and Dulcie .Staff, two of victims of Saturday's drowning fatality whose bodies were recovered on Sunday, was held in the local Court house yesterday morning, before Mr Alt'. Fraser, Coroner. William Staff, tailor, of Wellington, brother of deceased Thomas Stall', gave evidence as to having identified the iiodies of his brother and niece. His brother was a carpenter and farmer residing in Norbilon Hoad, Foxfon prior to the tragedy. Deceased was a married man aged till years. Dulcie Elizabeth Staff was deceased's daughter, aged 1!) years. There were seven children in his brother’s family. Witness last saw his brother alive three months ago in ’Wellington. Deceased did not have a practical knowledge of (mating, hut had done a considerable amount on the Alanawatu River as a young man. A week ago last Sunday Walter Stall’ visited witness in Wellington and told him that his father was building a Hal-bottomed boat. Witness advised the boy strongly to see that a centre board was put in the boat, but he did not know whether this had been done or not. Waller wa- one of the party that met with the disaster. As a result of being advised of the accident last Sunday morning witness came to Foxfon. ITis brother and the boys were able to swim a little. fho eldest girl could swim also, but not the younger.

Charles Martin Dawson, fisherman, residing at the Manawatu Heads in evidence stated that on Saturday af'imton last he was in his boat on the river about a mile above kite bar, between 4.‘10 and f> p.m., when he noticed a boat con--laini 11 tr five pimple approaching him. the party comprising a man, Iwo souths and two girls. The boat passed within two chain of witness's boat. Iml witness did not recognise the party. The father stopped rowing prior to passing witness, the two hoys then being at the oars. When the father gave up the oars he sat in the stern of the boat with one of the girls, the other

i t -l being seaied in the how. Witness’s attention was attracted to the boat when a quarter ot a mile a wav h.v the fact that it was travelling at a terrible rate. After the boys commenced rowing the pace slackened off until witness was passed when the pace was again increased. Witness called out "Yon are mg going over tin* bar are y.m:'’ so "which Mr. Stall’ replied: ••No. ! don't know anything about that-caper.” Deceased also asked wiin,*.-.- if there was any whitebait a boai. and informed witness that I 10-re was none about up the river, 'flic party then hurried off in the ,jj n .r: ion of the heads and willies.did not see them again. There was a high tide that day and the higge-l run out witness had known for month-. High water was about II o'clock. Later that evening witness heard of the disaster and

accompanied by other witness made seareh of the south beach and found a sail, rudder, four paddles and mast. Constable Owen on oath, stated that at 7 p.m. mi Saturday he received woiil that live unknown per,um- had been drowned at the heads. Immediate enquiries wore made locally lmt it was not until after S p.m. that witness heal'd that the part v were members of tin* Stall family. Wines- then interviewed Mrs Stall' who informed him that Mi. Staff and four children had gone (itit in a boat and had not relumed. Accompanied hy Constable Ryan ami others, witness proceeded lo i• i<* Heads and searched the Reach until Into that night without trace. At daybreak next morning a further search was made and the l„.dy of Thomas Staff was recovered on the South beach a few chains from the nver and later the same evening the body of Duleic Elizabeth Staff was found on the river beach below high water mark, oil the south side of (lie river about half a mile from the bar. Both bodies were removed io the morgue. The search has been continued up to the present without result. An examination of the body of Thomas Staff disclosed no marks of violence except a large abrasion on the forehead. In opinion of witness the mark on the head was caused by the body being accidently struck with an oar or the mast when the boat swamped. There were no marks of violence on the body of Duleic Staff. There arc still three bodies unrecovered. At the time of the disaster there was a heavy sea running ami the same conditions have prevailed ever since.

The inquest was adjourned until September 7th.