CORONER'S INQUEST.

North Otago Times, Volume IV, Issue 54, 2 March 1865, Page 3

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held by T. W. Parker, Esq., the Coroner of the district, at the Northern Hotel, Oainaru, on the 27th February ult., on the body of John Clark, aged 21, a seaman on board the barque Gazehound, who died on the 25th, on board said vessel. ■ The following constituted the jury :— Messrs James Ashcroft (foreman). J. S. Anderson, R. M. Payne, Joseph Waddell, William Ash, W. G. Poole, Bryan Blundell, George Milne, John Sheunan, Daniel M'Leod, Robert Turnell, William Matthews, W. F. Ingram, S. Gibbs, S. E. Shrimski, and John Lemon. The jury first viewed the body which had been brought on shore, and was in a shell in the Government shed at the beach, and were sworn in ; after which the following witnesses were examined : — W. Andrew, master of the barque Gazehound, who, being sworn, stated that the deceased was an apprentice on board the Gazehound, was a native of London, and aged abont 21. On the 12th ult. the witness landed in the morning about 10 o'clock from the ship with deceased and other three hands us a boat's crew, in the ship's boat. After landing he told them that after resting for a little they were to go direct to the ship, and return again for him when he hoisted the signal. About four or five hours afterwards he received information that his boat had been capsized, and one of his hands hurt. He found the young man in the Northern Hotel, andgave orders for putting him to bed. Dr Williams had already seen him ; he was very sick, there were four or five cuts over the temple, and one over the eye. He was quite sensible, the witness appointed his fellow apprentice to sit up with him. On the following morning he saw him again, and through the day and at night, when he complained much of the heat and noise, and wished to be removed, saying he should never get better there. On Tuesday it appeared that he had had no rest since the accident, and expressed a strong wish to go on board. The doctor had not reported anything serious the matter, and the witness decided on removing him. He was able with some support to walk down to the boat. The doctor was on the beach at the time, and appeared to be annoyed at the removal of his patient without consulting him, but said that as he was there he might as well be taken on board. The doctor visited him next day, and gave favorable accounts of him, and continued so to attend at intervals, and every facility was given him for coming off to the vessel. Every attention was given to the invalid, who had a very clean berth in the deckhouse, and everything he required was furnished. On the 24th convulsions came on, and the patient died on 25th, at half past 2 p.m. Thomas J. S. Williams, surgeon — Was called in on the 12th February to see the deceased who had received an injury at the beach. One side of his face was scored in several places. When removed with assistance to Baker's Hotel he became very sick, and from the injury on the head and other symptoms witness had reason to apprehend danger. I saw him again on the evening of the day following when he complained of noise and heat, but I should not have recommended his removal just then. After removal I found him going on favorably at first, but afterwards not quite so well. He was not ao well on Thursday last ; on Friday he was seized with convulsions, and died on Saturday. The place where the deceased wa3 lodged on board was a deck-house, clean and airy, and he had every attention paid to him, and all things he required. The witness also had every facility affoided him to go on board when he wished. Dr Wait had seen him on Friday. I approved of his prescriptions. The case was a hopeless one ; he died of effusion on the brain, caused most probably by the accident. It would have been more prudent to have consulted witness before the removal, but no injury really resulted from it. George Coutanche, an apprentice on board the Gazehound, was along with the deceased. When launching the boat to return to the ship two were inside and two shoving off ; the deceased was inside, one of those inside lost his oar, and the surf took the boat broadside and capsized her, keel up, The deceased was under the boat. Witness took the gunwale of the boat off his neck, when he picked him up he was bleeding, but not much. When in the hotel he waited on him, the deceased many times complained of noise and heat j and wisheJ to be removed on board ship. The verdict of the jury wis — "That the deceased died from the effects of an accident caused by the upsetting of a boat on the beach."