DEATH, BY DROWNING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5307, 29 March 1878, Page 7

DEATH, BY DROWNING.

It is with very, sincere regret that we have to record the death of Mr. Alexander Keid, a well-known journalist, under somewhat myste- ■ rioue circumstances. Mr. Beid, it appears, went on board the steamer Taupo at Lyttelton on Tuesday, March 5, having taken his passage to Auckland, where he was going on a visit to his brother. Daring the evening Mr. Keid was several times ou deck, and from enquiries made we hear that he appeared to be iu good spirits. Mr. Eugene O’C'ouor, a fellow passenger, who has known Mr. Beid for many years, seems to have been the last person who saw him. At about half-past ten o’clock at night Mr. O’Conor, who was iu the smokingroom, saw Mr. Keid standing on the deck near the door of the room. The steamer was at. that time rolling heavily, but no idea of there being any danger of an accident was entertained. From that time nothing more was seen or heard of Mr. Beid, who, it is thought, must have lost his balance in a sudden lurch of the vessel, and fallen overboard. From what we can learn,' there seems no reason to think that he contemplated suicide, and those who knew him are aware that he was about the last man anyone would suppose likely to commit self-destruction. Mr. Keid had been long and favorably known as a journalist, and was deservedly held, in high esteem by his brethren of the Press, who admired his talents and liked him as a genial companion. He was for some , time employed on the editorial staff of the Wellington Independent and New Zealand Times, as well as on other local journals, and latterly, until a recent period, was sub-editor of the Christchurch Press. He was the son of a newspaper proprietor and editor in Scotland, and had been trained from his youth to journalism, in which calling he was thoroughly proficient. Ho had travelled a good deal, and had been connected with newspapers in Cauada, the United States, and Australia, before coming to New Zealand. He was engaged on the staff of , the Otago Times when Sir Julius Vogel was editor of that journal, and some of the special reports relative to, the then newly discovered goldfields of that province, from Mr. Keid’s pen, enhanced the high reputation he brought with him as an accomplished descriptive writer. Mr. Beid was about forty-three years of age and unmarried. A largo circle of relatives and friends, to each and all of whom he was greatly endeared, will long lament his loss.