BLOWHOLE FATALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 64, 15 March 1916, Page 7

BLOWHOLE FATALITY.

INQUEST HELD. The inquest into the circumstances in connection with the drowning of Waring Waverley Tothill at the West Coast was heard before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Coroner's Court this morning. Deceased, a married man, 54 yeara of age, was fishing with three other men from the rocks on the West Coast known as the Blowhole, when he was ■washed off by a larger wave than usual,, carried out to sea, and drowned. William Henry Webb, yardman at the Piha sawmill, at which deceased was employed, stated that Tothill was fishing from the rocks with two comrades, and was standing near the crevice. His comrades warned him that a large wave was approaching. Deceased had then only to step back two or three yards to safety. On looking round •witness saw that Tothill had disappeared, and later caught sight of him about 50 yards further out. Witness deposed to the finding of the body in a basin About three chains from where if bad been swept away. Constable Read, in hie depositions, stated he received a call by telephone on Saturday informing him that a man had been drowned. On Sunday morning he went out to Piha, and found twenty or thirty people searching for the body. On Tuesday be received a message stating that the body had been found. Witness had interviewed the persons present at the time of the accident, and found that their statements corroborated the statements made by the previous' 'witness. The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental drowning.