INQUEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2017, 8 March 1890, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held' yesterday morning at the Courthouse, Temuka, touching the death of Amelia Ackroyd, who was drowned m the Temuka river on Wednesday last. The coroner, 0. A. Wray, Esq., presided; and the following jury .were empanelled : —H. M.' Miles (foreman), G-. McS. Gentlemun, Jesse Mason, J- Macfarlane, J. W. Velvin, and E. S. Smith. The jury having viewed the body, lying at the parents' residence, returned to the Courthouse, when the following evidence was taken:— .Mabel _Eranks said: lam a daughter of Erancis Eranks, brewer, residing at Temuka, and attend the District High School. On last I left school at about 4 o'clock, and went home to leave my books. I then went for a bathe in the Temuka river with Jane Edgar, Johanna Palmer, Nelly Fentbn, Jenny Eenton, Annie Voyce, ...Jessie McCallum, and Miliy Ackroyd (the deceased). When we arrived at the bathing place we undressed, ;ajid all went into the water. The wateins shallow, but gets deeper in the-middle. We were all in the shallow part for about half an hour. I was teaching Nelly Eenton'to swim when';;J6hanna Palmer cried out to me that'Milly Ackroyd was drowning, and askedvme to go out to her. I went out a little way, walking until the water was over my head. I then caine back into shallow water. Jane; Edgar then went towards the place. ■ When I went towards her I could just! see the top of her head. She was! moving her arms about and was rising! and sinking. When Jane Edgar went? she had disappeared under water, and; I cjidfaot see her again. Jane Edgar got out, of her depth, and called to me* to help 1 her. I went out again and caught hold of her by the arm and her back. Her head was out of the water, but she was confuse.d and could not get back to the shore. We then,all? dressed quickly arid went home 1 . "I told iny mother. My father was not at-home,, but I saw him afterwards going towards the bathing placs. I have been bathing in the same place about half a dozen times with the deceased. None of us had ever gone out of our depths before. We always kept on the shallow side of the river. I tried once, in play, : to swim with Milly Ackroyd, but could not support her, I can swim a Utile myself, and have swam out of my depth in the same stream. None of the others can "swim. My parents knew that I went there to bathe, and did not object. I ' think deceased was walking along in ; the river, and was carried out of her depth by the stream. The water does not deepen very suddenly, but I think the current took her into deep water she could not get back. By the foreman: Nothing was said on the way down about getting into deep water. James Watt, butcher, Temuka : I heard of the accident at the bridge, and went to the river about half past six in the evening.' W.hen I got there I found some people dragging for the body. I stripped and went in with Constable-Egan and others. I went to the? place where deceased went in, and found 12 or 13 feet of water. I dived down, but could not find any trace of the body. A boat was then brought, and I got in with two others We then commenced dragging. After a while I found the body. It came up a little bit, and I called to Mr A. Clincb to come over to my aid. He came, and we both got the drag down j and brought the body up from about! 13 feet of water. It was about a I quarter past eight, and; the body must have .been in the water about three hours. Life "was quite extinct. The body removed to the fathec's place in Mr Gibson's trap. I did not anyimarks on the-body. IJ think the place a very dangerous one y for children; to bathe in. There is a current in the centre which would take a child off its legs. John E. Ackroyd,farmeijEpworth: I am the father of the deceased, who was 12 years and 3 months old. I knew the children were in the habit of going into the river occasionally, but thought it was only in a shallow place near the footbridge. I heard of j the accident between five and six. I i got a horse from Mr Vallender and went to the river. The Maoris had been diving for the body but could not find it. I went away for a long rope to Mr Meyer's place, and when I returned the body was found and on the trap. It was taken to my place. I satisfied myeeli that life was extinct. Constable Egan : I. fixßt heard of the accident itcmx Mr G. Newbury, of tbe Epworth wool works, at about 5 o'clock. I at once went down to the river. Tbe Maori boys fchowed me where the children had been in. I stripped and dived about tbe river, but could not find any trace of the bodv. The search was kept up until . a fter eight, when tbe body was found by Mr Watt, after being in the water about 3 hours. Life was quite extinct. This concluded the evidence, and tbe jury returned a verdict of "Accidentally drowned." The Funeral. The funeral, which took place in the afternoon, was largely attended. In addition tocher parents and the

many friends who desired by their presence to testify their sympathy and respect, there were present the scholars of St. Saviour's Sunday bcbool, of which deceased was a promising pupil, and also a number of her companions from the public school. The service was conducted in a yery feeling manner by the Rev. T. A. Hamilton, suitable hymns being sung at the preliminary service at the church.