CORONER’S INQUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1929, Page 3

CORONER’S INQUEST

An inquest was held at the Police Station yesterday afternoon at 3 o’clock, touching the death of George Henry Tainui, drowned the previous evening in tht Arahura river. Mr ]>. ,1. Evans, Coroner, presided. Evidence was given by James A. Murdoch, Horace T. Parry, Tuhuru Tainui and Sergeant King. Piom the evidence it appeared the deceased with oth'drs: ,w,ent flounder fishing in , ia- lagoon}: near < the mouth of tiie Arahura; yivet!'||he Huethod of dishing- (Was by. getting. The deceased stripped and proceeded jijo swim across the lagoon; ipiiQiifgj bjj a cord. ’l'life; weafiliei - I j ifinttj i put!»the distanyp .-ac.rioss abofilt,; !<[()! IV frcßi, It was not a ; lon,Wswim, fbyj thp> who was ,ap;-expert; ; \Vhen about tliree!. parts. ] j kdie- cord broke, and Tainui’ swam• : on- to the north beach. A brother hauled in the net, and - after a brief interval George Tai nui swam back. He. made a second attempt to take the net across, and again the cord broke., When he reached the other side he rested for a while, and liis brother Tulipru, who liapled in the net, rolled it up, and advised George to return by a short detour where the water was shallow. As it was not possible to get the net across, it..was flecked r |,p, t a.bandon ri the idea of netting, and Tuhuru left "with the! net on his. back for .home., George laughed, at the suggestion tha.t ~,.hp should return by the shallow water,, and r scwm- ..after,, plunged into.., the lagoon again, to swim , to. the'; south side. The next heard. .was the call ol a young Maori, Hector, that George was in difficulties in midstream, and was seen to disappear suddenly as if taken by cramp. Isaiah Ta.ini.ii was nearest and he plunged into the water but was not able to reach George before he sank. Tuhuru Tai mi i also returned when the alarm was given and immediately plunged in to seek for the de ceased. The pet was opened out, and those present attempted to drag the waters, when the swimmers were unable to locate the body. Tuhuru Taimii niet difficulty and at one stage was not able to return and bad to swim to the . far side. When it was found impossible to net the body the police were advised by telephone, line were on the spot very promptly. Dragging operations began at once, while the netting was continued, others arriving and assisting. .At. H o’clock when it became very dart and the tide too high, operations were suspended. Early next mo ruins? the Tainui Ibovs continued the search, and the body was located near where the deceased was last seen. It was not possible to recover it with the net, and Tuhuru finally brought it ashore. The body was found in water about eight feet deep. The witnesses testified that both Tulniru and Isaiah Tainui did all that was possible to recover the body. The deceased was in his usual health, and was a good swimmer, quite at home in the water. The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death by drowning, and commended the efforts to recover the body. Sympathy was expressed with the bereaved who bore a name which was so greatly identified with the earliest times of the district.