Drowned in the Harbour.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 103, 29 October 1888, Page 3

Drowned in the Harbour.

A melonoholy accident ooourred apparently eithor yesterday afternoon or at an early honr thiß morning, by whioh a man about 40 years of age, whose name, from papers found upon him, iB presumed to be William Blewdon, contractor, of Auckland, was drowned in the harbour. The body was found at about half -past four o'olook this morning by John Simpson, who is employed on the hulk Woodlark, floating in the water near the Morgue at Clyde-quay. He immediately informed Constable Doyle of the discovery, and the body was taken from the water and, with the asßistanoe of Constable Creeks, convoyed to the Morgue, where it now lies awaiting identification and inquest. In the vioinity of the •pot where the body was found a dingy was waahed ashore, and a.soil, oars, and rudder from the boat were also found near by, from whioh it is naturally concluded that the unfortunate man had been crossing the harbour, and his frail craft had been overturned by the fury of the gale whioh raged yesterday. The wjitoH worn by the deceased Was found upon being examined at the Police ytation to have stopped at 3.30 o'olook, and the polioe are making enquiries with the view of ascertaining when and where the nan was last seen. Au inquest will bo held at the Morgue, at 9 a.m. to-morrow. Later. Just before going to press this afternoon, Inspector Thomson, who was Well acquainted with Mr. Blewdon, of Auckland, viewod the body at the Morgue, and has very little doubt that_it is the remains of that person. Mr. Spenoe, foreman of wprkAiUpon' Mr. M'Guire's contraot, and several others^ aro also of tho same opinion. Further enquiries made by the polioe prove that Mr. Blewdon was a steerage passenger by the a.s. Wairarapa, which arrived from Auckland yesterday morning. What became of him after leaving the ship and how the unfortunate acoident, of which it seems beyond a doubt he is the victim, ooourred, is a mystery yet to be unravelled. The police are inclined to the opinion that the man fell into the harbour, and that the boat whioh was found olose to the spot where the body was pioked up had no connection with 'the acoident, bat had simply broken away from its moorings in the harbour. It is probable that the mystery will be to a great extent oleared up before the inquest to-morrow morning. ¦