THE FATALITY AT MOERAKI MR. HUTCHESON'S TERRIBLE DEATH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 32, 7 February 1907, Page 5

THE FATALITY AT MOERAKI MR. HUTCHESON'S

DEATH. f.BT TELEORAPH— OW. COHBESrONDIST.} DUNEDIN, Thia Day. Regarding the fatality at Moeraki, where a well-known citizen succumbed to injuries inflicted by a shark, Mr N. Culling, who has been a resident of tho district for the past thirty years, states that Mr. Hutcheson was bathing with his son at what is recognised as the regular bathing place of Sloeraki It is off a sandy beach, in a liitle bay. There used to be a bathing enclosure in this bay, but the concrete wall has crumbled away in places, and the -enclosure is now never used by bathers. It was about 30 yards to the north of this that Mr. Hutcheson and his son were bathing On being bitten he told his son to go, ashore. Ho had started to obey, but seeing his father in trouble went to his assistance again, and helped to get him ashore Mrs. Hutcheson had been sitting on the bejich ■not far away, and as £oon as possible a towel" was wrapped round Mr. Hutcheson's leg, which was stripped from behind the knee to near the ankle. At this time the unfortunate victim was just breathing and no more, and he died a few minutes afterwards. All the arteries in the leg had been severed, for the calf had been bitten plean through. Xo one who was about at the time saw anything of the ehark. Mr. Culling says that be never dreamed that there were sharks, at least of any size, round that part of the coast. There have been some five hundred visitors to Moeraki thia and most of them have bathed in tho very locality -where the accident happened. Mr. Culling also says that he ana others have long, been in the habit of fishing with a net in that bay, and in putting ths net out they wqided into the water over their waists, the end or outside men being up to their necks. THE INQUEST. .(BY TKLEOBAPH. — FBXSS ASSOCIATIOK.J DUNEDIN, This Day. At an inquest on W. H, Hutcheson, who was attacked by a shark at Moeraki, a verdict pf death from, the effects of the bite of a shark while bathing was returned. The evidence showed that deceased was standing in water up to his chest and his son was diving from his shoulders, when he was attacked. Tho cali of the right log was torn completely away. Deceased managed to partly' svrim, and was assisted ashore, landing in a dying condition. He expired almost immediately, although hks wife rendered first aid. Thq bay is infested with sharks.