FIREMEN’S DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 November 1929, Page 2

FIREMEN’S DEATH

INQUEST AND VERDICT. That Henry Tull, a fireman on the s.s. Gabriella, came to his death on November 22, by drowning, the result of accidentally falling from the wharf into the Grey River, was the verdict returned by the Coroner (Mr W. Meldrum, S.M.), at an inquest held in the Greymouth Courthouse to-day. Sergeant J. Smyth conducted the proceedings, and put in the statement made by Tull’s companion, Charles Baines, a fireman on the Ngakuta, who has since left New Zealand. Baines stated that Tull and himself were returning to their vessels to have a wash prior to attending an entertainment, and were walking along the narrow space between a rake of trucks and the edge of the whaif, Baines being a yard or two ahead of Tull. When abreast of the Gabriella, Baines heard a thud and a splash, and on looking around found that Tull had disappeared. , David Munro, second officer on the

Gabriella, stated that, about 8.30 p.m. on November 22, he was making his way amidships from No. 1 hatch, when he saw an old man, who had apparently been with Tull, and the watchman. They were looking over the wharf, the watchman questioning the other man. The watchman then raised the cry,“Man overboard!”. .Witness immediately put a rope over the wharf, and got down on the lower stringers, but could not see any sign of Tull. A grappling iron was secured from the. Harbour Board, and dragging operations were continued for nearly threequarters of an hour, but without success. The Gabriella was lying about two feet away from the wharf, and in falling, Tull might have gone under the ship. There was a current of two or three knots running in the river. If Tull was trying to go aboard the proper way would have been to use the gangway. Constable Corcoran stated that, as the result of a telephone message received at the police station at 9.30 a.m. yesterday, he proceeded to the north beach and recovered the body of Tull, and removed it to the morgue. He found a severe wound on the top of the head, as though Tull had been struck by something when falling. The skull was not fractured, and, in the opinion of witness, the blow on the head in itself would not have been sufficient to cause death. The Coroner returned a verdict as stated. Tull was 63 years of age, single, and a native of Forest Gate, London, and not, as previously reported, of New South Wales. The funeral took place at Karoro Cemetery to-day, the service being conducted by Archdeacon J. A. Jermyn.