INQUEST

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3858, 16 October 1928, Page 3

INQUEST

INTO DROWNING FATALITY AT MANAWATU HEADS.

An inquest into the circumstances surrounding; the death of a Native named Rupahana Kemp, aged 38 years, who was drowned at Manawatu Heads, on September 29th, and whose body was discovered floating in the river on Friday lust, was held in the Courthouse at L’oxton, on Saturday, before Mr. A. Fraser, coroner. Evidence was given by (Pi Rata (uncle) and Pita Rata (cousin), mat on the evening of September 29th deceased and the latter witness left the Beach in a rowing boat for Papangaio, a Native settlement, about a mile from, the Heads, for the purpose of whitebaiting. On reaching the settlement, the boat was dragged into the bank, but not secured. With the tide making, the boat drifted from the shore at about 7 o’clock and deceased stripped off his clothes and swam out after it. When about midway across the river deceased disappeared. A search was made for his body but without success. On Friday last the body was seen floating in the river a short distance from the scene of the fatality. James Collins gave evidence as to finding the body floating in the river on Friday. Constable Bell deposed as to having secured the body and removed it to the morgue. A verdict was returned in accordance with the evidence, that deceased met his death as a result of drowning in the Manawatu River on the evening of September 29th.