DEATH BY DROWNING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2170, 14 December 1885, Page 2

DEATH BY DROWNING.

On Saturday afternoon the police received information that a man named Israel Bassendale had been drowned while bathing in the Ruamahunga River at Te Whiti. . Sorgfc. Price immediately sent down two Constables with drags to try and recover the body. Constables Connor and flealy accompanied by Mr W. lorns and others dragged till dark on Saturday, but failed to get at the body on account of having no boat there. They started again on Sunday morning, having first obtained the loan of Mr lorns' boat, and after about three hours search, the body was recovered and was brought into Maaterton by Mr E. Jones' brake, which they had taken with them for the purpose. The body was taken to the Prince of Wales Hotel, where an inquest will be held at 2 p.m. this day. Deceased was employed by Mr Wardell falling bush, and he went on Saturday with three of his mates to .bathe. His mates report that he was swimming, and got very weak in the water, and his mates got one each side of him, and tried to get him to. the shore, but failed to do so, as he slipped from their hands and went under. He only came up once, and they tried their best to recover him, but were unable to do so. The funeral will take place this afternoon.

Baasingdale was known in Wellington, About eighteen months ago he used to stand m Courtenay Place taking photographs, having been once summonsed for taking photos on Sunday. He has since been engaged at several places in this district at scrub and bush falling. About three months since, he joined the Phoenix Lodge of Good Templars in Masterton. He was a native of Yorkshire, England, where all. his relatives reside. He is not known to have any frienas in the colony. ;