THE SKELETON IN PRINCE IMPERIAL SHAFT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1899, 21 November 1874, Page 3

THE SKELETON IN PRINCE IMPERIAL SHAFT.

The workmen, Hicks and Andrew, put on to clear out the old Prince Imperial engine-shaft, who discovered the skull, bones, and coat of a human being at the bottom of the shaft on Thursday afternoon, brought to the surface yesterday morning further remains and the complete outfit of the unfortunate fellow-creature who appears to have met a horrible death in this shaft. The clothing was taken to the Police Station, and washed, and was found to consist of elastic-side boots, a silk striped pattern necktie, a billycock hat, flannel undershirt and drawers, striped shirt, light tweed trousers, and cloth coat, with pockets outside. The coat, trousers, hat, and boots are in a fair state of preservation. The boots were partially coated with oxide of iron, but the elastic and the soles were perfectly clean. From inquiries we have made there can be little doubt that the clothing is that worn by the man Kinivan, of Coromandel, who disappeared so mysteriously from a hotel in Brown-street early last January. Kinivan had, it appears, come up from Coromandel to spend his holidays at the Thames after being in Auckland some days, as he formerly resided here, and was well known. During his stay he slept at a little cottage formerly occupied by a friend of his on the hill-side behind the Prince Imperial shaft, and as he h-id been drinking heavily at the time, and is believed to have been in a condition bordering on delirium tremens it is inferred that he climbed into the shaft and forced himself down without knowing what he was doing. Deceased, some twelve mouths before his disappearance, used to work with Mr Garycy, of the Exchange mine, and his opinion is that the clothing is similar to that usually worn by Kinivan. It is usual for many miners to carry with them a pipe or tobacco, but Mr Garvey says Kinivan never carried either, and none was found in the pockets of the clothing. Kinivan disappeared on the morning of the 4'.h of January last. He had been working for some time at Coromandel, and went to Auckland to attend the races, where ho was seen evidently drinking pretty hard. He enme down to the I hames on the Thursday, and continueddrinkingtillSaturdaynight. OnSunday, at half-past 2 o'clock in the morning, he was seen at the Bank of New Zealand corner going up Albert-street, in the direction of the hills. An acquaintance followed him, but could not find out what direction he had taken. When he disappeared, he was in the horrors from drink, and how he got to the bottom of the shaft can only be conjectured. He could not have fallen down, for, in the first place, he would have had to elimb up some feet to get over the shaft, and besides, it was planked over. One of the planks was left so that it could be easily lifted away, but even if this plank had been off altogether, a man could not fall down, but would have had almost to squeeze himself down. Kinivan, with all the horrors of delirium in his brain, must have conceived the idea that some one was following him, und got down the shaft for safety and protection. That is the only hypothesis we can offer. Since writing the above, we learn that a mate of Kinivan'B, from the West Coast, has identified tho necntie found yesterday morning as one he bought on the West Coast, and gave to the deceased. Another necktie—a black one—was found in the pocket of deceased's coat, besides the one identified as above, which was evidently worn at the time of his death. An inquest will bo held over the remains, at the Police Office, at 11 o'clock this morning.