WAIKATO DROWNING ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 240, 7 October 1916, Page 10

WAIKATO DROWNING ACCIDENT.

FATE OF A RECROT.

The body of a young nun was found in the Waibato Biver yesterday, about fire miles above Mercer. " It had evidently been in the water for some weeks, and in one of the pockets of the clothing was an enlistment ticket, bearing the name Walter Brandwood.

In the course of an inquest held at Pukekohe, Christopher Jackson, a Churchill farmer, identified the body as that of Walter Brandwood, a man of about 22 years, who had worked on hie farm for* several wonths. He had heard that the deceased was in the district, and that one-night about three weeks ago had asked some Maoris on the Mercer side of the river to ferry him across, but they had declined to do so in the dark. At one time deceased had been employed on the clerical staff of Yates and Co., of Auckland, and had also lived at Taumarunui and Onewhero, but was not known to have any relations in Xew Zealand.

Constaßle Horan, of Mercer, stated that the enlistment card found on the body notified Brandwood that hie form had* been : forwarded 'to Ko. 6 Group, Palmerston North.

The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased had met his death accidentally when attempting to cross from the Mercer to the Churchill side of the river.