COBDEN GIRL’S DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 December 1940, Page 5

COBDEN GIRL’S DEATH

VERDICT OF DROWNING. A verdict that deceased met her death by drowning in the Grey River, there’being no evidence to show how she got into the river, from the Cobderi bridge, was returned by the Coroner, Mr. G. G. Chisholm, at the conclusion of the inquest to-day, at Greymouth, concerning the death of Dora Mowbray Kittelty, 19, single, of Cobden, who fell from the Cobden bridge on December 22. Sergeant R. McRobie. conducted proceedings for the police. John Anthony . Contessa,. a waterside worker, of 77 Bright Street, Cobden, said that deceased was a mate of; his daughter and resided near his home. On December 22, 1940, at about 12.15 p.m. deceased, called at witness’s residence arid asked him to. loan her his bicycle as the chain had l come off her own. She told witness that she intended going to a store to get some cream for dinner. Witnesslerit her his bicycle but did not again : see her. At about 4 p.m. the same day witness identified his cycle at the police station, which, he was informed, had been found on the Cobden bridge. To the best of witness’s knowledge, deceased was of a cheerful disposition and always seemed to be in good spirits. He could not suggest any reason for her having gone into the river. When witness last saw her she was dressed in a light summer frock, and wore no hat. Henry James Hill, a schoolboy residing at South Beach, said that at about 12.50 p.m. on December 22, in company with another boy, Stanley Hilton Coakley, Holland Settlement, he was about to walk on to the Cobden bridge, from the Cobden side, when he heard' a splash, and saw a woman in the water just under the middle of the bridge. She called out “Help” several times and then commenced to swim breaststroke with the current and seemed to be doing all right. Coakley and witness ran to the centre of the bridge and saw she was then in the current about 50 yards below the bridge and swimming slightly towards her left, as if she was trying to get to the bank on the Greymouth side in the direction of the Riverside station. She went under the water and came up again and appeared then to be just floating and after going with the current for a few yards went under again and did not re-appear. The spot where she finally disappeared would be about a chain out from the bank and about half-way between the Railway signal box and the Riverside station. The woman had black hair and appeared to be about 20 years old. Witness noticed that her shoulders were bare. Witness immediately informed the police of what he had seen. Eva Mary Kittelty, mother of deceased, said that deceased resided with her at Bright Street, Cobden. She was employed as a domestic servant. She enjoyed good health" although, since early childhood, she was of a nervous disposition, easily becoming excited. For some weeks prior to her disappearance on December 22, she had been receiving treatment from Dr. Moore, and appeared to derive some benefit from it, and told witness she felt considerably better. On December 22, about noon, she left home to get cream for dinner and did not return. Witness made enquiries from different neighbours regarding her disappearance, without result. At about' 2.45 p.m., Mr. Contessa enquired for deceased, who had borrowed his bicycle, and at 4 p.m., witness was informed by the police that her daughter had fallen into the Grey River. Deceased at no time gave witness any indication that she intended taking her own life. Witness did not know of any worries she could have had. George Herbert. Thomson, of Ward Street, Cobden, said that at about 5 a.m., on December 28, he took his trotting horse down on to the beach at the end of Bright Street, Cobden, when he noticed the body of a woman lying face downwards on the beach, at the edge of the waterline. The tide was flowing at the time, and the waves were washing around‘the body. Witness did not disturb it, but went immediately to the Cobden police station,'and informed the constable, who recovered the body. Constable A. A. Baynes, of Cobden, said that on December 22, as a result of information received by the Greymouth police, he was detailed to assist in dragging operations on the river, which were without result. On December 28, 1940, at about 5 a.m., he was informed by the previous witness of his discovery of the body of a woman on the beach. Witness immediately went to the spot, where he saw a girl’s body lying face downwards at the edge of the water, being lapped by the incoming tide. Witness removed the body, which was later identified as being that of the girl reported missing, Dora Kittelty. The Coroner: Is there no witness available who actually saw her fall? The Sergeant: There was no actual eye-witness. The nearest we can get to it is the boy, Hill, who heard the splash. The cycle was found about halfway along the pedestrian side of the bride, but there is no means of saying how she got into the river.

The Coroner said that as there was no evidence to show how* deceased got into the river, the only verdict he could return was that given above.