INQUEST.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4264, 29 March 1879, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon at the Royal Hotel, Ashburton, before Dr. Trevor, coroner, and a jury, of whioh Mr Boyle was ohosen foreman, on the body of James Greenaway, aged seventeen months. Thomas Greenaway, sworn, said—l any a farmer, and reside at Wakanui Creek. I recognise the body here lying dead ss that of my own son, James Grtenaway, aged seventeen months. My house is situated about a chain from the Wakanui Creek, which runs through my land, and is oonnected with a footbridge formed by a few planks. My garden is the other side of the creek from my house. There is a gate that leads to the bridge on the house side of the creek. There is, also, a fence, erected to keep my children from the bridge. There is a fastening to the gate a little child could not undo. Yesterday, 27th, about 2 p m., I went through the gate and fastened it after mc. After two o'clock I saw my' eldest child the other side of the river, on the garden side. This was three minutes after I had crossed. He followed directly after mc, but I did not see him till my wife called out to ask where Jemmy was, meaning deceased. She also said she thought he was in the creek. She said she had seen the two children crossing the bridge towards the creek, walking hand in hand. When.l went through the gate I hooked it, but did not tie it with flax, as I usually did. I used to tie it because my eldest boy had a habit of climbing the gate wad unfastening the hook. I did not do it this time because I intended to return directly. When my wife said the child was La the creek I searched down to a shallow place, but could see no sign of him. I did not think he could float past this shallow part, but afterwards found the body beyond this shallow, forty chains from my house. I was about three-quarters of an hour before I found the body. The child was then quite dead. Mr Jacob Moore was with mc when I went into the garden, and helped mc to search the creek. The eldest child i. between two and three years old. He did not make any remark about his brother being in the creek. Ho can only speak a few words. The bridge consists of two six-inch planks. There is no side protection. Jacob Moore, fruiterer, residing in Ashburton, said he was at Mr Graham's farm yesterday, 27tb inst, at 1 p no. I was in the garden at 2 p.m. with Mr Greenaway when i Mrs Greenaway called out about "Jimmy" being missing, there was a small creek <the Wakanui) between the garden and the honse. Mr Greenaway and I searched the creek to look for the boy. Mr Greenaway want into I the creek, and I went down the creek. After j en hour's search, Mr Greenaway went tenor twelve chains further down the creek, and found the child about thirty or forty chains from the house.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. ■ "-