FALL OVER WHARF

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 111, 23 April 1936, Page 8

FALL OVER WHARF

Seaman from the Limerick Drowned EVIDENCE AT INQUEST (By Telegraph—Press Association.l AUCKLAND, April 23. Although the body has not yet been recovered, the inquest into the death of Jack McMillan, aged 57, a seaman on the motor-ship Limerick, who fell into the water between the vessel and Prince’s Wharf about midnight on Monday and was drowned, was opened before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner. Special permission had to be given by the Attorney-General, the Hon. H. G. 11. Mason, to hold the inquest without the body. The chief engineer of the Limerick, Frank Mowatt, said that when he returned to the ship at about 11.35 p.ni. on Monday he saw three men, who appeared to be members of the crew, having a drunken argument on the wharf. Two of the men in the argument were Angus McLean, boatswain, and Angus McLean, able seaman, while witness learned subsequently that the third man was the deceased. Seaman McLean was more or less helplessly drunk; Boatswain McLean was more or less drunk and in a cantankerous mood; whilo the deceased was fairly drunk. Hearing a cornmotion about midnight, witness said, he came on deck and found the two McLeans and was told that a man had fallen overboard. He later found the deceased’s hat on the wharf where the argument had occurred. He had known the deceased for' about 15 years and had found him an inoffensive man. Alexander McDonald, able seaman, said he joined the Limerick at Auckland and was second cousin of the deceased, who had a wife in Scotland and a son’ at Edinburgh University. Other evidence was given that the deceased had sent £2O to his wife on the afternoon before the accident. Angus McLean, seaman, said that Boatswain McLean went on board about a quarter of an hour belore the deceased fell in. The deceased left witness and went in the direction of the ship, but walked over the edge of the wharf about 30 yards from the gangway. Witness said that Boatswain McLean had bumped the deceased’s head against the corner of a shed opposite the place where the deceased went over. “If he had been sober he would have saved his friend; he would not have let him walk over the wharf,” said the coroner when witness was being further questioned. Angus McLean, boatswain, said he did not strike the deceased or bump his head against the wall. “He was my best ‘cobber,’ ” said witness. TLo inquest was adjourned sine die.