DEAD BODY FOUND IN THE HARBOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9285, 12 February 1889, Page 5

DEAD BODY FOUND IN THE HARBOUR.

♦ At about ten o'clock yesterday morning a lad 15 years of age, named James Smith, noticed the dead body of a man floating under Queen-street Wharf, about midway between Quay-street and the Birkenhead ferry tee, or nearly opposite the landing steps for man-of-war boats. He informed the water police, who at once secured the body and conveyed it to the morgue. None of the property recovered indicated that deceased was a seafaring man, and amongst other effects in the clothes of the deceased was a saturated Post Office Savings Bank passbook, on which the name William MoPherson, Kawakawa, was legible. The book showed that deceased had at one time a considerable account, but it had been largely drawn on, mainly by drafts or orders dated and stamped from Kawakawa, and only a small balance remained to credit. A curious circumstance noticed was that in the pockets of deceased's clothes there were a number of stones, which were at first supposed to be auriferous or argentiferous specimens, but they proved to be ordinary road metal. Tho body was identified by Mr. Andrew McLeod, who keeps a registry office and agency in Queen-street. Deceased was hie cousin, William McPherson, and his age was about 43 years. He was a native of Nova Scotia, and has for some time past been employed as a miner at tho Kawakawa coal mines. He came to Auckland on Friday last, and so far as can be gathered he was not seen after landing on the wharf. Deceased leaves a wife and children at Kawakawa. An inquest will bo held at Gleeson's hotel to-day. Mr. McLeod has received a telegram from the father-in-law of deceased asking that the inquest may be postponed, as he is under tho belief that the death is mysterious, and that further evidence may be secured.