SAD DROWNING CASE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1370, 12 April 1881, Page 2

SAD DROWNING CASE.

A very painful case of death by drowning occurred on Saturday last at East Hamilton. At about 9 o'clock in the morning, a son of Mr J. K. McDonald, a promising lad nine years of age went for a bathe in the river near the inland accompanied by a little boy named Neilson. Young McDonald who waa not a good swimmer, ventured out too far and got caught in the current, which at this point of the river is very strong, and was washed away and drowned. The body was caught and held by a rock in the middle of the river, and recovered by Mr McDonald and Constable Murray shortly afterwards. The evidence given at the inquest will more clearly explain the occurrence. Great sympathy is expressed for Mr. and Mrs. McDonald in their bereavement.

The Inquest was held at the Royal Hotel on Saturday afternoon before Dr Beale Coroner, and the following jury: Messrs. F. Gaudin, (foreman), F. Booth, W. Carson, W. Dey, S. Pascoe, Jas. Coombes, J. Coleman, Carty, R. "Williamson, S. Meacham, T. Slaae apd W. Proctor. The jury having been sworn proceeded to view the body, after which the following eridence was taken, Constable Murray conducting the case; William Neilson, a little boy 8 years old remembered that morning about 8 o'clock, he went down with the deceased to the river to swim, deceased took off his clothes and went into the water, after swimming out a short distance the current took him away, and he went out of sight. Deceased could not swim much. He did not go far down but struck on a rock. Witness could not swim. By the foreman : The bottom of the river where deceased went in was shelving, and he walked some distance before beginning to swim. Agnes Bessie McDonald, 11 years of age, sister of the deceased, stated that her brother asked her, between 8 and 9 o'clock that morning, to go down to the fiat by the river to get some sticks. On their way they met Willie Neilson, and all three went down to the river. Her brother said he would go and have a swim, and witness tried to dissuade him from doing so. The two boys went down to the river's edge, witness remaining on the terrace above. Shortly after she heard Willie Neilson calling to her that Charlie was in the current getting drowned. She went down and saw her brother in the river near the rock. He was trying to swim but in a few moments he sank out of sight and witness then ran home and told her father, the distance being about the same as from the Royal Hotel to the school. J. K. McDonald, aworn, deposed that the deceased was his son. He was about nine years of age. The boy left the breakfast table about half-past eight, and at a quarter to nine his daughter came running to him and said her brother was drowned. Witness ran as hard as ever he could to the river. When he got to the bank he saw the body on a ledge of rock out in the river near the island, in about five feet of water. Deceased could swim a little, but he had always warned him never to go into the river without his (witnesses) knowledge. Witness took off his clothes and swam off to the rock and raised the body and did what he ; could to restore animation. He could not however perceive a sign of life. Shortly after Constable Murray came down and swam off to hia assistance and remained with him till a boat came for them, brought by witness's brother-in-law and two of Mr Cummin^'a men. Then they rowed down as far as Coatea' landing where Dr. Edgelow met them. Everything was done to restore animation. He could not have swam to shore from the rock with prudence as the banka i opposite were ko steep. The Coroner saii ho did not think there was any necessity for further evidence. It was a clear case of misadventure. The jury agreed and without retiring brought in a verdict of "Accidental death "

The Funeral The funeral, which took place yesterday afternoon, was largely attended, nearly all the principal residents of Hamilton being present. A half-holiday was granted to the children attending the Hamilton East School, to enable tnem to pay a last token of respect to their deceased schoolfellow. The burial took place in the Hamilton East cemetary, the Rev. Mr Fulton, Presbyterian Minister, reading the service.

"When I wath a little boy," lisped a stupid society man to a young lady,"all my ideath in life were the ntred on a clown." 'Well, there is at least one case of gratified 'ambition," was the reply. The supposed figurehead of the Atalanta.— -The figurehead presumed to be that of the Atalanta, picked up at sea by Mr Shilston's barquetine Girl of Devon, was towed from that vessel on Thursday afternoon, into Suttou Harbour and landed at Mr Shilston's dock. Thence it has been conveyed to an adjoining loft in the adjoining* shipbuilding yard, where it has been on view. The Dockyard' authorities at Devonport were on Thursday officially notified of the arrival of the figurehead with the view of some duly qualified perv sons testing the identity of the figure. It in every way answer* the description given of it some weeks ago in the Western Jftqrning News by a correspondent from the Sjedifcepranean, The paint has been scraped q$ ttye nose, tQ reply to the Admiralifcy question as to. whether the nose j was formel, of different wood to that used in the body of the figure; which was in the affirmative. The . Atalanta was formerly known as the Juno, and it is said that when she changed her name there WM nq alteration made in her figurehead. If the present %ui»,w4B ever Intended as •'representation of the Queen of Ifeaven, after, the views bf the ancients, its model* ling, together with its odd admixture of ancient and modern fashions, vrpuld safely proteot it, f rom being deemed a copy of any, Qwofan statute, • Upon the question of the' identity <jf|Ke flspjW? HB& rh ol " m of C&ptidu Grant for the £200 reward qf : fared by.the^Adnuraiity-for, *nything be-