THE DEATH OF JAMES STRAKER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11536, 22 November 1900, Page 6

THE DEATH OF JAMES STRAKER.

AN INQUIRY. An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Jamer, Straker, who jumped overboard from the p.s. AYakatere en the evening of Friday, September 21, was hold yettorday by Mr. Alex. Rose, collector of Customs. The duty of holding an inquiry fell upon Mr. Rose, owing to the fact that the body has never been recovered. Captain Farquhar, of the p.s. Wakatere, deposed that about a-quarter past six p.m. on the day in question an alarm was raised that a man had fallon overboard. The engines were immediately stopped, boats lowered, and a search made for about half-an-hour, with no result. On inquiry he found that a steerage passenger named James Straker had jumped overboard. The only witnesses of the occurrence were the man's wife and the ship's cook, Ah Yen. To the best of his knowledge, the body had not been recovered. The vessel was travelling at the time at a rate of about 11& to 12 knots per hour, and could bo brought up in about three minutes. There were no signs of the body having become entangled in the paddle-wheels. Ah Yen, cook on board the p.s. Wakatere, stated on oath that on the day in question he saw the man jump overboard from a spot between 20ft and 30ft forward of the paddlewheel. There was no chance of stopping him. He corroborated the statement that a search had been made for about half-an-hour after the occurrence, without any result. Alfred Edward Mclndoe and William Robert Stone, chief and second engineers on beard tho vessel, and Thomas Markwick, chief steward, deposed to the short time in which the vessel was brought up, and the search made, corroborating to a largo extent the evidence of Captain Farquhar. Annie Straker, wife of tho deceased, deposed that deceased was absolutely sober when he jumped overboard. She gave evidence as to the occurrence, and stated that as far as she knew her husband was in no pecuniary embarrassment. Ho had always been a good husband and father. About three years ago he had received a bad cut on the head from an accident, and latterly had been out of health. She thought that for the moment ho had lost his reason. She had registered the death of her husband at the suggestion of the collector of Customs. The date of registration was October 15, 1900. The evidence will be forwarded to the Marine Department, .Wellington,