FOUND DROWNED

Grey River Argus, 16 August 1934, Page 6

FOUND DROWNED

On Cobden Tip Head RUNANGA RESIDENT’S DEATH. A body which has since been identified as that of Mr Richard Skiitoa, miner, of Runanga, was washed up ou the rocks fifty yards from the Cobden tip head yesterday afternoon. The body Iwas fuby clothed, and was first noticed by Mr Thomas Mur ray, Foreman for the Harbour Board, shortly before 3 p.m. He immediately notified the police. So far as is known. Mr Skilton was last seen alive at the Cobden Whippet Club’s meeting on Sunday after noon. However at about 3 o’clock on Monday morning,, the night watchman on the s.s. Gabriella, noticed a man approaching the vessel. When the ma a went between a rake of trucks, tlo*

nightwatchman lost sight of him. Soon afterr.vards, however, he heard a splash as if somebody had faLen into the river, but he was unable to see anybody in the water, or any sign of the man he had seen just pcievious!y on the wharf. The matter was re ported to the police, and enquiries were made, but without result, nobody having been reported missing. On Sunday night, the crows of both the s.s. Totara and s.s. Gabriella iwere ‘•n the ships before 11 o’clock, so that it could not have been one of them that the nightwatchman saw. &nd the incident remained until yesterday an unsolved mystery. The findof Skilton’s lx)dy washed up on the beach might be a possible explanation of the occurrence. An inquest will be held on Saturday morning at. 10.30 o’clock. The late Mr Skilton, who was a married man, residing at Ruuang-i. was a native of England, and w\ns 6 ’ years of age. He was a niembe" of the New Point Elizabeth Co-opera-tive coal mining party at Runanga, where he had resided for a number of years. He took a keen interest it< several branches of sport. j»articula: Iv coursing and whippet racing. Th- 1 funeral will take place to-morrow afternoon. leaving Holy Trinity Church at 2 p.m. for Kaaoro Ceme tery. BLASTING ACCIDENT. DUNEDIN. August 15. Noble Callaghan, a contractor, employed at 'the Deep Creek water supply scheme, was struck by a quantity of roc ( k while engaged in Masting operations this morning. He received a fracture of the pelvis, a compound fracture of the leg, and head injuries. Callaghan, who was brought to Dunedin Hospital. is :« married man. 30 year s of age.