A BATHER DROWNED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9399, 4 January 1894, Page 4

A BATHER DROWNED.

I'» " . Our Kaukapakapa correspondent ■writes — I regret to have to record* bathing accident .which occurred at Makarau on or about | Tuesday, 26th December, by which a young man named Anton Ranum lost his life. The J parents of the young man live at Kaukapakapa, and have lately acquired a farm at Makarau. The deceased was living on ( the farm at the latter place, and his brothel and sister were in the habit of taking him food from home periodically. On Wednes- , day, the 27th December, his sister took him some food, but when she got to i the house she found he was missing. After coo-eying for some time and getting no response she returned, and ( reported the matter to her parents. Search | was made at daylight the following morn- ( ing, when the body was found, undressed, lying face downwards in the mud in a small bight in a creek known as " Shanks' Croak." About lOOyards below the clothes » ot the deceased were found in a pile wlhere i he had undressed, and close by the axe with which he had been working was stuck " in the ground. Tracks were visible from i the clothes to the creek. There were no ) signs of struggle, and no marks of violence i on the body. Deceased was a quiet, in- ' offensive lad. The theory is, that as deceased was returning from work he went to bathe in the river, and either got beyond his depth ; or was taken with cramp. The flowing tide carried the body up the river from the > place where deceased had undressed,, i The body was brought down to the resii dence of his parents at Kaukapakapa, where . an inquest was held on Friday, the 29th of i December, by Mr. Robt. Sinclair, and a ' jury of six, of whom Mr. M. 0. Henley ! was foreman, when the facts as above stated were elicited, and a verdict of "Accidentally drowned while bathing," ' was returned. The funeral took place the, same afternoon, Mr. Carr kindly officiated at the grave. Deceased was the eldest son of his parents. Much sympathy is felt for them in their bereavement. •