SAD FATALITY

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 56, 8 March 1919, Page 5

SAD FATALITY

RETURNED SOLDIER COLLAPSES AT LYALL BAY.

A sad bathing fatality occurred at Lyall Bay yesterday afternoon. A returned soldier, Thomas Alexander Munro, 36 years of age, collapsed while bathing, Munro, who was a single man, returned to New Zealand just recently by the Matatua, and resided at Palmerston North, having come to Wellington on Thursday last on busineess. In company with his mother, he visited Lyall Bay .yesterday, and shortly after 3.30 o'clock went in for a swim. Fifteen minutes, later his mother noticed that he was floating on his back, and he did not appear to be moving.l She naturally became alarmed, and called to some men on the beach for assistance. A Maori named Tauri Whatu, John Knight (a returned soldier), and Bertram Lewes immediately waded out to the deoeased, and brought his body to the beach. Artificial respiration was attempted without success. Half an hour after the man was brought to the beach, Dr. Pattie arrived, but his attempts at resuscitation were also unsuccessful, and life was pronounced extinct. It appears that in July of last year Munro suffered from influenza and pneumonia. The circumstances connected with the fatality were inquired into by Mr. W. G. Riddell, Coroner, at the Courthouse to-day. In his evidence, Dr. Pattie stated that he hardly thought the deceased had been drowned, but that he had lost his breath while swimming. Evidence confirming the facts as outlined above was given by deceased's mother. Another witness, "ex-Constable Binns, said that deceased did not appear to be in any danger, as he was in very shallow ■ water. Had he been in his usual health he would have been able to walk ashore if he had got into danger. Bertram Lewes, a member of the Lyall Bay LifeSaving and Surf Club, who went into the water and helped to bring out deceased, gave corroborative evidence.

Evidence was also given by Mounted Constable Wilson, who happened to be in the vicinity at the time of the accident.-

Mr. Riddell returned a verdict that Munro died from heart failure while bathing at Lyall Bay. The evidence-went to show that it was not an ordinary case of drowning.