CORONER'S INQUEST.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1018, 2 January 1879, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

NGABUAWAHIA.

An inquest Avas held on Tuesday, before Edward Waddington, M.D., Coroner, and a jury of twelve, of whom Captain Cellem was chosen foreman, touching the death of Alexander Sanderson, whose melancholy decease by drowning, m the Waikato river, at Ngaruawahia, was referred to m our last issuo. Abraham Hobson, depos2d to being a constable at Neraruawahia. He was bathing with deceased, about half-past six o'clock on Tuesday evening. Deceased was bathing m a shallow place, and jromarked to witness, "see how well I am swimming. He then came ; to the edge, and witness Walked iip v thc hank, about 30 yards from him. Soon after, witness heard a noise of struggling m the water, and ran down to srhere h,e had }ef $ d.9-

--ceased, and saw him struggling m the water, with hi.s hands up. Witness ran m, and got out of his own depth, and the current carrying him beyond the deceased, lie, himself, struggled to get to shorp r and, being unable to sivim, called out for help. Soon after, Mr John Edgcumbe and Mr Charles Barton came. They at onoe undressed, and'; jumped into the river, but could not Hud the body. The deceased lad was learning to swim.- The body, was subsequently found, and taken to the house of Mr Newell, where every means was,, taken to restore -animation. .We were m the habit of bathing at the same place, almost 'daily. The body was recovered by Thos. Sid well, but I cannot say after how long an interval. Tho, distance from the shore, where I saw saw deceased struggling, was about 15 yards. John Edgcumbe deposed to hearing a cry on the river banu. 1 ran down to the river bank, with Clias. Barton, and saw last witness, who told me .where doceased was last seen. I then went into the stream, to search for the body, m company with Mr Barton, who could find nobhiag. I afterwards saw the body drifting towards the bridge. This would be some twenty or twenty-five minutes after I got to the river. Mr Barton and myself are good swimmers, and we dived m search of the body. Thos. aid well, sworn, said: I am a butcher, residing at Ngaruawahia. A boy came running to the shop, on ' Tuesday evening, and told me Alexander Sanderson was drowned. I went down to tho river, a little above the bridge, and could see something white m the water, but could not tell what it was. I took off my clothes, ana went into the river to search, and succeeded m finding the body. It was then dragging along the bottom. I then brought it to the surface, and some others took it ashore. The body was re- • moved to Mr Newell's. A verdict of accidental death, caused by drowning, while bathing m the Waikato river, was at once returned by the jury, who added the suggestion, as a. rider, that life-buoys should be placed at the bathing places on the banks of the rivers.