FATALITY IN TE HENUI.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1919, Page 5

FATALITY IN TE HENUI.

YOUNG WOMAN DROWNED IN RIVER _ A fatality occurred in Te Henui river yesterday which aroused widespread sympathy for the relatives of the unfortunate victim, Mrs. Ethel Grace Gardiner. It appears that deceased lias been in indifferent health for the past two 'years, since the somewhat sudden death of her husband, and her condition has given her relatives cause for considerable anxiety. Up till a week ago she had been residing with her father, but then removed to the residence of her brother-in-law, Mr. F T. Bellringer, Devon Street East. On Thursday night she retired to bed at about 10 o'clock, having been conversing with the members of the household in a perfectly natural manner during the evening. On rising on Friday morning it was discovered about 7 o'clock that alie had left the house, and the police were informed and si learch was at once instituted. About the middle of the morning a shoe, which was identified as having belonged to deceased, was found by Mr. Sydney J. Barnes near Te Wemii river, and there were marks on the bank, about ISO vards on the Devon Street side of the raihvav bridge, as of someone having slippod into the river. Constables Wroblenski and Nolan then proceeded to the locality, and. with the assistance of Messrs R. Bonnock and A. Rcott, and some relatives of the deceased, secured a boat and began to drasr the river, and at about 3.30 in the afternoon the body was found near the bank in about 10 feet of water, fully clothed, except for shoes and hat, about a chain from the position on the bank where the shoe was discovered. Deceased was 35 years of age. The bodv was removed to the residence of Mr. .T. Abbott, a brother of deceased. An inquest will probably be opened this morning.