CORONER'S INQUEST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 305, 23 December 1872, Page 4

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held at Wainaea South on Saturday before Dr. Squires the coroner, and a jury, on the body of' Walter Thomas Tunnicliff, a lad oi 14 years of age, who was drowned while bathing on the previous day. John Henry Savage said : I am nine years old. Yesterday afternoon I went with deceased and Fredrick Tunnicliff to bathe in the Wai-iti. Deceased was walking in the river wheu he stumbled over a piece of wood and fell into deep water. He tried to get out, but could jiot. I went to try to get hold of him but did not succeed. He cried out that he was drowning. He then sank and lay at the bottom. I called out when I saw him drowning. When he was under water I pushed a stick to him to lay hold of. Edward Biddeli came down when he ,heard us singing out. I ran off and told my father, and Biddeli ran and told Mr Holt. Fredrick Tunnieliff, stopped there. I did not go back any more. Edward Holt, surgeon, said: Yesterday afternoon Edward Biddeli came and told me that young Tunnicliff was drowned. I went down to the river and found Mr Savage, Mr, Lyons, and Mr Meddings there. The water was thick at the time. I dived down but could not get hold of him. We then had to wait until the water cleared, when Meddings got a stick and pnlled him three or four feet nearer. I then dived again and got him out. The body was a little warm at the time but he did not breathe. The body was then taken to his father's house. No attempt at artificial respiration was made at the river. , i t. John Meddings having corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, a verdict was returned that deceased was accidentally drowned while bathing.