CORONER'S INQUEST.

West Coast Times, Issue 367, 26 November 1866, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

On Friday an inquest was held at the Wharf Hotel, Ilokitika, to enquire into cause of death of one John Bay, when the following evidence was taken before the coroner, Samuel Bcswick, I'isq. Robert Wall, being sworn, stated that he was a blacksmith residing at the North Spit, llolutika, and remembered the lGth instant. On that day he was standing near the spit looking at the river. There were three boys rolling a log over, on which two of them, got on seeing a wave coming over the spit. When the wave had nearly reached them they got off the leg — the one reached the bank in safety, the other fell in making the attempt, and was carried out among the breakers. As soon a3 the water permitted, witness ran for a stick to hand to deceased, but was unable to fiud one. lie did not venture down to the water's edge, as he was no swimmer and considered it imprudent so to do. There was a very heavy fresh running into ihe river. The deceased was never seen to rise after being borne away by the wave. Witness could not say that the force of the water was sufficiently strong to have washed him. (witness) off his feet ; tho sand, however, was yery unfinn. He believed the body then shown to him was that of the lad he had suen carried out among the breakers. The log was not carried out with the boy, but was by the succeeding wave. Robert Quance, being sworn, deposed that he was a master mariner, residing at Hokitika. He remembered the 16th instant. He was standing on the beach on the afternoon of that day at about 4 p.m. He noticed some children playing there, aud amusing themselves by rolling a stump or root into the stream. Two of them, on observing a wave advancing towards them, jumped on to the log, which canted, and th£y let go their hold and fell. One of them almost instantaneously regained his feet and got to shore, the other was caught by the receding wave and swept out among tbe breakers ; witness never saw him after. There was a very heavy fresh running r.t the time the accident occured. Tbe depth of water round the aforesaid log could not have been mere than ten inches. He did not think that the deceased could by any possibility have been stunned by the fall from the log. Only a few seconds elapsed from the time deceased fell as described, till he Was seen among the breakers. James Mould, sworn, deposed that he was a ferryman residing at theTotara. On the 21st instant, between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, he was taking a stroll along the beach, looking for something that hnd floated away, when he discovered, at about two hundred yards from where tbe punt crosses and 11 quarter of mile from the sea, the body of the deceased. lie immediately gave instructions, and had the body removed to the punt. When he had done this he gave information of the finding of the body to the police stationed at Hokitika. When ho discovered the body it was between high and low water mark. Wm. Day, sworn, deposed that he v?as the father of the deceased. lie knew nothing more of his death than what had been communicated to him. At the time of tbe accident he was working at the opposite side of the river. He resided by the river about ono hundred yards from where his son (the deceased) was drow ned. The deceased was in the habit of playing on the beach much against tho will of witness. He had taken great pains to keep deceased out of danger. Deceased attained bis ninth year la3t August. The body then lying in the building was that of his sou, John Day.

The Coroner then summed up the evidence, remarking that there could be little doubt, but that the deceased had met his death by* drowning ; however, their (the jury's) duty wa3 simply to enquire how, when, and where the deceased came by his death, and they would therefore have to return a verdict in accordance with their own conviction.

The jury immediately thereafter found, "That the deceased died by accidental drowning.'* A rider was also added to the effect v That the Inspector of Police be communicated with, requesting that instructions be given to the police lo prevent youths from playing in dangerous places upon the Ilokitika beach."