STRANGE DROWNING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 162, 29 September 1927, Page 15

STRANGE DROWNING

evidence; at inquest NO EXPLANATION OBTAINED (From Our Own Correspondent) W HANGARS I, To-day. An inquest touching the death of Herbert Chisholm Plaisted, whose body was found in a shallow' creek at Tikipunga, was held in the Whangarei Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr. L. J. Brake;, acting-coroner, and a jury of four, comprising Messrs. F. Voice, foreman, S. Lecky, W. Killcolly and H. J. Paper. Charles Gilbert Hansen, a workmate of deceased’s, said that at 2 p.m on Tuesday, after working and talking together, Plaisted announced his intention of retiring behind a piece of bush a couple of chains away. He remained away for so long that witness! called to see where he was, and not getting an answer spoke to the foreman. A search was instituted and ii a pool about 18 inches deep, three feet wide, and the length of a man, the body of Plaisted was discovered lying face downward, in the water with his back exposed. Witness* had known deceased for about eigh months, and had never known him give any indication of wanting to '.ake his life. Sydney H. Ward, medical practitioner, deposed to having performed a post-mortem examination on the body, when he found no signs of organic disease. The heart was; quite normal. Deceased's stomach and lungs contained water and death was due to drowning. The jury, after a considerable re - tirement, brought in a verdict of drowning in a small stream at Tikipunga and extended its sympathy to th 2 widow and relatives in their bereavement.