FITZROY DROWNING ACCIDENT

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1916, Page 2

FITZROY DROWNING ACCIDENT

KVIDENCE AT IXQtfEST. A DANGEROUS BEACH. j i Tlie inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Thomas Benjamin Salter, a local resident, who was drowned at the Fitzrny beach on Christmas Day, was resumed before Mr. A. C'rooke, S.M.. Coroner, yesterday morii'n n- ' Constable Boulton watched the proceedings on behalf of the police. At the opening of tlit. inquest on Boxing Day evidence of identification wa: given, and the order foj- the interment of the body was signed. Anthony George Wigley, bootmaker, said lie went swimming with deceased on Christmas Day at the Fitzrov beach. He and deceased went into the sea about half-past three, and had been in the water a quarter of an hour before difficulties were experienced. Witness and his companion were standing ill 'four feet six inches of water, when they felt a strong undertow. They were carried off their feet, and tliey mad* an attempt to reach the shore. Deceased was a slightly better swimmer than witness, and the former called for assistance for witness. Witness found himself in difficulties, and was about to give up hope. Charles Griffitns, who heard the call, came to witness' help, and brought him ashore in an exhausted state. In a few moments when witness had sufficiently recovered, ne saw deceased being carried out to sea oi) the crest of a wave Witness saw deceased's hand go up, and the body disappeared." Beside- themselves, there were three bather; on the Fitzroy beach near at hand, and i!!iO yard;; away on tile Waiwakaiho side were a group of otliei bathers. Had there been a strong, swimmer in this group lie might have been able to render assistance. Witness was not pwarc that the spot at which lie and deceased batlierl was dangerous He had heard that the whole of the New Plymouth beach was dangerous at certain times. The scene Of the accident was over a mile from East End, and the bathers at that spot conhl not offer assistance.

To the Coroner: Witness had bpcsi in New Plymouth six years. He could pot recollect bearing of another man being drowned at the same spot twe year? ago. Cli'irle- Griffiths, printer, o. Devon street, gave evidence tliat he iveni bathing at the Fitzroy beach on Christina' afternoon. He spol;e casually to deceased 111(1 Wigley, "bo were bathing at the time, and asked what.' the water was like. Deceased .-cplied that time was a bit of an undertow. Almom immediately afterwards, as witness was returning to the shore, lie heard a cry. for help He returned and assisted Wisley ashore. Witness considered that Salter would be all right until .jC had got Wiglcy ashore. When witness returned Salter was fully '2O yards fur-' tV.et out. Witness was not sufficiently confident of himself 10 attempt to -avc him. and lie called to deceased to get 01: to his back. In the meantime one of the other bathers on the beach ..in along towards East Knd foi assistance There were no strong swimmers übont who could help Salter. Halt-si.-hoiir after Salter had disappeared member? of the East End Life-saving Club endeavored tc find the body by diving, ipt without success. Witness had been told that the bench w;,= a dangerous one, and had deceased an;. Wisrlry not been bathing there he would lure gone out a couple of hundred yards, ..nd would probably have been caught as deceased had been. In view of the ' ct that .sheds \flero erected there, .villi showers and other conveniences, be tool; it for granted that it was <.a!. >Ve to bathe. Witness added ilia, i :..d been suggested that he and others could have rescued Salter by joining hands' and making a chain. Witness thought of this at the time, but there was not a sufficient number of people aoout to do it. Had there been a coil of rope at the Fitzroy shed witness thought it would have been possible to have saved deceased. He would have gone out himself bad there been anyone biuidv to assist him ill case he got into difficulties.

The Coroner: A life-buoy would have been useful? Witness: Yes. Constaole Boulton stated _ that wliila at East J3iid ou the date in, question the drowning accident was reported to him. Every effort was made by experienced 'wimmers to locate tli't body. Witnes- organised a search party, and kept the beach patrolled in ii.. 11 o'clock that night. Tli? search w.u resumed at four o'clock next morninp. and the body was found ashore about 50 yards from where it ban disappeared. The Coroner observed that.- at the time of tho death of Mr. Funwick in the. same spot two years ago In- said some steps should be taken to warn batliers about tho beach. Nothing had bc-en done. The witness Oriffiths, who was a stranger here, bad been literally trapped into bathing at tho Fitzroy beach.

Asked what lie thought of tlio beach, Constable Boulton said he considered the locality was dangerous for bath.ng front'a point 300 yards from tl.e month of the Te Henui stream to the mouth of the Waiwakaiho river, and that notices should be erected warning people against bathing there. A rope, lie siiid, would not be allowed to remain at the Fitzrov sheds for two d..ys. The sheds were being damaged by vandals, and in witness' opinion, they should be removed Witness said he could not 'understand why people" should go past East End to bathe. Deceased was of a reserved disposition, and was disinclined to mix with a large number of people. The Coroner said that only one verdict, that of accidental drowning, could be returned. He expressed his admiration of deceased in calling for help for Wigley before ho thought of himself. The Coroner considered that Griffiths did all he could, and he. did not think the formation of a chain would have saved deceased, owing to the fact that , deceased-had drifted well out, and that there were very few people near at hand. The . evidence showed that without doubt the beach was dangerous. People could not be prohibited from bathing there, but warning notices should lie erected. Two; years ago when Fenwick was drowned, the dangerous nature o!" the beach was painted out. He did not: know whether the County Council, Borough Council or Harbor* Board should do the work, or whether the public should subscribe to cover the cost, bijt he sincerely hoped there would not be a third death on the beach. East End was safe for bathing, and lie did not know why people should go further along the beach, , ■ ,