MAN’S DEATH ON LINER

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25936, 17 October 1949, Page 6

MAN’S DEATH ON LINER

FALL DOWN STEPS PROBABLE (New Zealand Press Association.) AUCKLAND, October 15. The seaman who was found unconscious on the stewarcts’ mess deck of the liner Rangitoto on Friday evening, and who died some time after, has been identified as John Macfnnes, aged 23, single, whose parents live on Eriskay Island, off the west coast of Scotland. Maclnnes, a seaman, was a member of the crow of the Waimana, which was berthed on the other side of the wharf at which the Rangitoto was tied up. Maclnnes was found about 8 o’clock lying on the floor of the stewards’ messroom with the back of his head injured. There was a pool of blood nearby. He died before an ambulance arrived. There were no suspicious circumstances. It is thought that the seaman fell down a companionway and that the back of his head struck the steel stairs. Detectives investigating last night were puzzled by blood on the walls and hand rail. They discovered early this morning that the blood came from the hand of a member of the crew of the Rangitoto who. in a frolicsome mood earlier in the evening, put his fist through the glass window of the ship’s notice board. At an inquest, which was opened and adjourned to-day. Alexander MacDonald. a seaman on the Waimana, said he was drinking with Maclnnes and other members of the crew yesterday afternoon. They visited some members of the crew, who were their friends, aboard the Rangitoto. They had a few drinks in a cabin and about 7 o’clock Maclnnes left for the toilet. About 7.30 someone camo in and said a man was dead in the stewards' messroom. He saw Maclnnes lying dead on the floor. MAN KILLED AT LEVEL CROSSING (Nciu Zealand Press Association.) NAPIER. October 16. A middle-aged man. who has not yet been identified, was killed at the Ellison street level crossing at 3.35 p.m. to-day. He was riding a bicycle over the crossing when he was struck by the Wellington-Napier railcar. He was thrown clear of the crossing but was killed instantly.