A FATALITY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 26 November 1924, Page 9

A FATALITY.

YOUNG LAD DROWNED

A CORONER’S WARNING.

TRAGEDY AT KAPONGA

. [The danger wlucli corifrqnts inexperienced swimmers arid/the necessity for iristruction. in swimming, being given to juveniles were emphasised at a coroniai inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of a hoy who was drowned while bathing at Kaponga on Monday.]

,At Kaponga to-cray Mr J. E. Auderson, J.P.. conducted a coroniai inquiry into a drowning fatality at Kaponga oil Monday, whic-li resulted in the death or Edmund John Albon, who, as stated in yesterday's Hawera Star, was drowned in the ivaupokbnui river on Monday evening. , .The coroner for the district, Mr A. M. MoVyiern, S.M., in his instructions with reference to tiie inquiry, expressed the opinion that attention should be called to the dangers confronting inexperienced swimmers. The jury comprised Messrs W. G Cran (loremau), J. Davidson, J. Hey, and H. H. Henderson.

Constable J. O’Dorioghue conducted proceedings on behalf of the police. I rank Albon, lather of the deceased, gave evidence of identification, and said, that the boy was 14 years of age on July. 19, 1924. The boy liad been attending the State School, and after school hours had been employed at Messrs J. and A. Guy’s motor garage, Kaponga. On arriving home from work about 5.30 p.m. oii Monday, 24th, the boy had asked fo,r permission to go for a swim. He had told the boy that the water was rather cold, but that it should be quite all right if -Mr Hing-st-on; einployed at tiie garage, went also., The boy then left on his bicycle. The boy was not a good swimmer, being only a beginner.. If witness liad known that. Mr Hingston would not be withthe boy permission to go for the swim would not have been granted the latter. Witness did ncit'know whether Hingston was a good swimmer, but naturally presumed the boy would be safer if with hirii. The boy had always; enjoyed good health, and had never suffered from sickness.

. Ken tie tli Joseph Frederic Hingston, 19 years of age; motor mechanic, employed at Messrs'J. and A. Guy’s garage, Kapon'ga, said in evidence that, he kiieiv deceased, who after school hours \vas employed at the garage. On Monday j 24th inst., .it being a hot day, iyitness had asked deceased if he was ■gouig. foi’ a swim. Witness had not said he was going for a swim, and had : later, abandoned the thought of going, iis he had been busy,, and also as anotbey of the gayago employees had debided not to. go. At. 5.3() p.nt. de-, ecased appeared, carrying a towel and bathing costume, and again asked witness if he was .going for a swim. Witness had bceii busy at .the tinie, and so far as he could recall’had not rereplied. 'Witness thought that the deceased had then left the gahage, after which witness did hot see llini alive. Witness finished work about .6 p.in. He had never been swimming with deceased before. He could swim, and in March had had a swim in the dam. In answer to the coroqer, witness said that when lie had swum in the dam the water was lower than at present., There was then not milch current, and it was quite ea'sy to swim there,. '' After hearing further evidence, the jury returned a verdict that the deceased met his death by being accidentally drowned in the lower dam in the Kaupokonui river at Kaponga, no blame being attachable to anyone. The foreman further intimated that in the opinion of the jury, the dam in question, though perhaps a safe place for bathers who were able to swim, was dangerous to inexperienced swimmers. A graceful action marked the conclusion of the inquest, when the foreman of the jury stated that the jurymen wished to donate their jury fees as a presentation tp, the deceased’s younger brother, Kenneth, and handed the fees to Constable O’Donoghue to he given as requested.