OAKURA FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1917, Page 6

OAKURA FATALITY.

BOY ACCIDENTALLY DROWNED further particulars concerning the death of William West, aoed 10, who was drowned in iho O.iku'ra river «» Monday morning, were disclosed at the inquest held before the Coroner, Mr A Coroner, S.M., yesterday. Senior Sergeant Bowdcu conducted the ease on behalf of the police. Cecil William McGahey, a schoolboy, gave evidence that he and deceased, who was his cousin, cycled to Oakura on Sunday, and stayed with their aunt -Airs. John West, whose piaco they left on Monday morning to balhe in the Oakura river Witness had never bathed in the river before, but deceased had. They went to a shallow spot. which deceased said was not deep euou"h for him. They then went to a deeper hole higher up. Witness cl : d not go into the water, but watched his companion from the bank as the latter swam into the centre of the pool. He then saw deceased struggling in (he water, and knew that lie was in difficulties. Witness could not swim, so he ran to a Maori pa no: far away for help. The people were away. He picked up a big stick, and ran back to" the pool, but found that deceased had disappeared. He then returned to his aunt, and told her what -had happened. Constable Wrohlenski said in consequence 0/ a telephone message lie received on Monday Piorning he. proceeded (o Oakura, and cm arrival at the Oakura river at a point three chains below the Main South Road Irafric bridge, he found a deep pool, and a number of men dragging for the body of the deceased. Witness lent his assistance and recovered the body. It had been about three hours in the water, and was lifeless. Witness did not consider the hole was safe for even the best of swimmers, owing to the curious nature of the bottom and the strong undercurrent which set in from under the bank. Witness was of opinion deceased stood near the hole and suddenly slipped into deep water. The river was iiiiucnced by the movements of the tides. Joseph West, baker, of New Plymouth, father of deceased, said the boy was able to swim the width of the New Plymouth bathe. The Coroner,"in returning a verdict of accidentally drowned, said the facts in this case did not call for any comments from him, with the exception that he hoped nobody would be so foolish as to bathe in the hole agiii:. He added that the boy McGahcy lid all he could in the circumstances to save his companion's life. Sergeant Bowden observed that a Maori, with his horse and cart, 'fell into the hole some years ago. The body of the Maori was recovered some time afterwards, but neither tli»; horse nor cart was ever seen again.'