DROWNED IN MANUKAU

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 580, 5 February 1929, Page 7

DROWNED IN MANUKAU

INQUEST ADJOURNED

MORE EVIDENCE WANTED

Very little light was thrown on the circumstances connected with the drowning of Richard Madden at Whatipu on Saturday evening, at the preliminary inquiry held at Onehunga yesterday afternoon by the district coroner, Mr. D. A. Sutherland, J.P. Nicolai Gunerius, who identified the body, said deceased was his brother-in-law, but although he had known him for some years, he had not seen much of him recently. He was about 60 years of age and a widower, living in a boarding house in Victoria Crescent, Newmarket. He had been regularly employed by the Auckland City Council. His wife died about two years ago and he had no family. The fishing party of 19 left Onehunga about 4 o’clock pn Saturday afternoon with the intention of fishing on Sunday and returning on Sunday night. Deceased’s body was discovered at about 9 p.m. on Saturday floating between the moored launch and the Whatipu jetty. No evidence was adduced as to how deceased got into the water, although a splash is said to have been heard by some of the party, but no notice was taken of it at the time.

Dr. James Kirkwood, who made a post mortem examination, found a bruise over the right temple, but attributes death to drowning. The coroner decided to adjourn the inquiry sine die to enable the police to collect further information.