INQUEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3134, 20 February 1889, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at' Upper Manaia on Tuesday afternoon on tlio body of John Griffin, aged 14 years, - who met his death on Monday morn- ■( ing last at 10 o'clock. The enquiry Jt was held before Mr H. S. vVavdell, jury of six, of "whioh Mr G. M, Boss was foreman, . George Osman, a lad of 11 years of age, stated that on the morning in .•- ;r question, he saw deceased driving on a load of firewood on the road near the railway line. The train was approaching, and deceased jumped down, and ran to the horse's head, . Witness saw him afterwards lying on the ground, and the horse and cart about four lengths away. When deceased took tho horse's head, the animal turned round, and ran between two-posts. Deceased, when lying on the ground, did not speak, and witness saw the mark on his head. Went at once and told Mr Griffin, tho lad's father. James Finlay staled he was driving the engine at 8.20 a.m., on Monday, and on passing tbo Waingawa crossing, observed a liorse and dray coming up the road'about four chains from the line. Gave the usual whistle, and

a longer one, as ho m no one at first with the horse and cart until it was within about 12 yards of the line, when he saw deceased at the horses head leading it by the bridle. The horse made for a gate post that stood by tho road. Witness stopped, the • engine fearing the boy would be injured, as lie appeared to be jammed between the cart and the post, Wit-

iicss,got off.the engine, and went to ~iW deceased, whom, he found lying on tho ground with a wound on the head. He was breathing, and they took him to Mr Petersen's. Henry Webb, Eaihvay Guard, on th e train referred to, conßrmed the evidence of the last witness. Dr Milne deposed that he was called about 10 o'clock on Monday morning to see- deceased who was quite dead on his arrival. The cause of death was a fractured skull. The

brain was protruding. Mer a eboi-t deliberation the 4B} jury returned the following verdict: ■. I—That the deceased, John Griffin, cams to his death on the 18th February through being accidentally jammedagainst a post by a oart, and not otherwise.

Drowning FaMty,

Auckland, Wtdnesday.

.David Holly, a gum digger, waß drowned on Monday at Toltaloka wharf, near Dargaville, while trying to step into a boat. His body was swept away by the current and is not yet recovered,