THAMES DROWNING FATALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 292, 10 December 1925, Page 18

THAMES DROWNING FATALITY.

AN UNPROTECTED POOL.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) ~~ THAMES, Wednesday. At the inquest on John Bailey, aged eight years, who was drowned last night under most distressing circumstances, the chief witness was a playjmate, aged eight years, who said he went with the deceased' to a "half-sub-merged raft on the pond. Bailey lost his hat and in trying to'recover it slipped off the raft. He did not come up again. Witness went home and did not tell any-body-about'the accident until late in the evening when he told another mate named Watkins. The latter's brother questioned witness, who laughed, conveying the impression that he was joking. It was not until 9 p.m. that the police were informed, their investigations leading to the discovery, of the body.

The boy who was on the raft with the deceased was stated" to "be* an orphan and mentally defective, and gave no reason for not reporting the accident. A cricket game was in pTogress 300 yards from the scene of the fatality. : . • The coroner returned a verdict of accidental drowning. He emphasised the need sor the protection of the public. '