CORONER'S INQUEST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 110, 10 May 1875, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held on Saturday afternoon, at the .Anchor Inn, before Dr Squires, the coroner, and a jury, of which Mr Wigzell waß foreman, on the body if James Scott, ogtd 73 jearp, wlto was found lyiug in the tideway on the moruiug of that day. ( onstable Levy gtnteJ lhat ab^ut half-paa/ sevei be was informed tl at the body of/a nun hfid been lound in the tideway in front of the Maori house. He went down,' and found the body lying out cf wattr. it having been drawn out by somfiboly. He recognued the body as that of James Scolt, and on t earching the pockets found 14a 6d in money, a watch, which had stopped at four minutes pa9t two, a snuff box, and a few other article?. There was a slight graze on the right side of his face. He was addicted to drink. There was no latrp . about that part. William Jones, cab-driver : About halfpast 6even I was passing the Maori house, whe.i a Maori called my attention to a body lyiog in the tideway. It was lying with the face in the mud and towards the sea, but was not in the water, tut looked as though it had ie:n left there by the tide. I did not get off m? cab, as I had an enga?ement and was afraid 1 should be late. I felt sure the man was dead from his general appearance I did not pull up I met Mr Dodson a minute alter and told him, and he saii he would giveinformntion st the Police Station. The Coroner here reprimanded the witness for not having got off his cab to ccc the Ir.dy, thereby showing a carelessness for the life of his fellow croaturrs. John Smith, a Maori, was going down to his boat at seven o'clock in the morning, when he saw a tody in the mud with the let? lying over the stern line of the boat. lid rot touch it because he did not like to. Told Siringer, who took word up to town. James Somerville : I am a miner, living at rrefent in Toitoi Valley. I met deceased about Beven o'clock last night at the Globe Hotel. We had some beer there, and had another glass each at Mrs Adam.", another at Mrs Stock's, ?nd two each at H'irley's, where I left him and went up to town at eight o'clock. He oeemed to have a gcod deal of drink in him when I left him. John Tutty : lam the -andlord of the Pier Hotel. Deceased came in a little after tight o'clock on Eriday night and wanted jome drink but I refused to supply him as he appe ired to have had t/>o much already. I told him he had better go home, and ha Faid he thought he would, and turned up towards town. Joseph Garrard : I am wharfinger at the Government wharf. I last paw decens?d about a quaiter to nine on Friday night at the Anchor Inn. He was not drinking anything, but just Wfllkt d in, had a look round, and went out again. I did cot notice what stnte he was in. This concluded the evidence, and the jury at once returned a vtrJict of " Found drowned," to which was attached the following ridir : — " Tlie ji-.ry jeel that they cannot separate without calling the attention of the authorities to the fact that no provision has been made for the pro;:cr lighting of tho Haven-rjstd. and feel themselves justifiei in recommending that, ac the least, tea g*s lamps should be erected and lighted between the Custom Houbo and tLe Saltwater Uridge."