TWO YOUNG MEN DROWNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11949, 25 April 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

TWO YOUNG MEN DROWNED

While playing near the beach at St. Mary's Point, Freeman's Bay, on April 10, a number of lads noticed two bodies floating in the tide, and immediately communicated the fact to Constable Finnerty, of the Freeman's Bay station. On proceeding to the beach he recovered the bodies of two young men. which were removed to the morgue. They were subsequently identified as the bodies of Charles Sawyers, aged 19. and Alexander Moore, aged 20. who had been employed by Mr. J. Reside!!, draper, of Queen-street. From inquiries that have been made, it appears that the deceased on the 9th of April (their weekly half-holiday) announced their intention of going boating. They left St. Mary's beach in a small dingey to board a yacht belonging to Mr. T. Ryan, of Ponsonby, which they had obtained for the afternoon. 'Hay intended to go for a sail and return that evening. They were seen to board the bout and sail down the harbour. The yacht returned to her moorings (about 300 yds from the shore) in the evening, just about dusk, but nobody saw the young men pur off for the shore. It is presumed, however, that deceased must have been capsized when pulling ashore in the dingey. Sawyers was born in England, and only arrived in the colony some 10 months ago. An inquest was held on April 11. at the Criterion Hotel, before Mr. Gresham (coroner), into the circumstances. The jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning.

The Commissioner of Police has received a report that the analysis of the liver and stomach of the late Mrs. Court, who died at Okoroire Hotel last month, has been completed by Mr. Pond, Government analyst, at Auckland, who failed to find traces either of mineral or alkaloid poison. Samples of food stuffs and condiments used when Mrs. Court was at the hotel were found to be sound and wholesome. Mr. Pond is of opinion that the illness of Mrs. Court and other lodgers was caused by ptomaines in the whipped cream. Several medical men in Auckland agree with this theory. It will be remembered that 17 other boarders were taken ill at the same time.

The departure of the. Union Company's steamer Herald, from Onehunga to Greymouth, on April 15 was delayed owing to the mysterious disappearance of .Mr. Johnstone, the chief engineer. Captain Dewhurst reported to Mr. Barnes, the local agent, that Mr. Johnstone was not present to take charge of the engine-room, at six a.m., the hour for sailing. An immediate search was made and continued for i hree hours, but no trace could be found of the missing man. At nine a.m. the steamer proceeded to Grey mouth without Mr. .Johnstone. The hotly of the missing man was found in the Manukau Harbour on the 16th of April, near St. Ann's bridge, Otahuhu. The body having beer, removed to Onelnmga, an inquest was held. The jury returned the following verdict: — " That the deceased. Robert .Johnstone, was seized with a tit of giddiness on Monday night last, and accidentally fell off the Onehunga Wharf into the Manukau Harbour, and was drowned."

On April 8 Inspector Ciillcn received a telegram from Constable Fitzgerald, Kihikihi, stating that information had reached him the previous evening, from Waotu station, that a half-caste native mimed JL'ohitau Rangi had been drowned while attempting to swim the YVaikato River on April 5.

A filial accident occurred at Mangatainoko railway station on April 15. Charles Spanger was standing on the edge of the platform when the half-past nine train came in. He suddenly lurched forward, and was struck by the cowcatcher. When picked it]) he was quite dead. His neck was broken, and there was also a gash on the side of his head. Deceased, who was a cabinetmaker, had only one leg. A fatal accident occurred near Lougburn on April 21, when Mrs. Doreen was thrown from a trap on her head, and sustained such severe, injuries that she died before she. could be conveyed to her home.

Christian, a brother-in-law of McMath, dredgemaster, Hokitika, was drowned at two a.m. on Friday, April 18, while taking a boatload of wool to the Kohinoor died- pontoons, near Ross.

A man named McNeill, who fell down the hold of the Haupiri on April 18. died in Greymouth Hospital. His buck was broken. He leaves a widow and a large family.

John Gamble, aged 70. an old age pensioner, residing at Beaumont, Ttiapeka, was working t*. reaper with his daughter on April 17, when his team got nut of hand. The father ami daughter were thrown off the machine. The daughter miraculously escaped injury, but her father, when picked up, was dead, and horribly mutilated, having got among the knives. An inquest, was held on April 21. tit the Avondale Hotel, before Mr. Oresham, coroner, on the body of a man named John Broughtoii, 7.3 years of age, an Imperial pensioner, and formerly a sergeantmajor in 11.11. Royal Artillery, whose bodv was found in "the Wliau Creek on Sunday. William Henry Wroath identified the body as that of his father-in-law. A verdict was returned to the effect that death had resulted from drowning, but that there was not sufficient; evidence to enable them to determine by what means the deceased came into the water.

Gunner Hoyleton, of the Permanent Artillery, Christchurch, was found dead at Camp Bay. on Wednesday, the 16th of April, apparently having fallen over a cliff about 50ft high! He was about 25 years of age. and came from Waimate. A sad accident happened at Ruapekapeka on the 11th inst. (writes our correspondent) resulting in the death by burns of a little girl belonging to Mr. DanzeyIt appears that she was at home when some bricks became displaced at the fireplace, kite tried to put them back, when her dress caught fire, and she was burnt so severely that she died shortly after. The unfortunate child was only' six years of age. Richard Connelly died at Waihi on April 10. An inquest "was held in the afternoon, before Mr. Max 1). King, J.P.. act- | ing coroner. Sergeant JSreiuian appealed j for the police, and he and Constable Payne gave evidence that they had thoroughly investigated Connolly's case, and were quite satisfied that deceased met with his injuries through accidentally falling off the Silverton tramway tip-head. * Evidence was also given by Drs." Guinness and Slator, J. Newdick, if. E. Butler, I). Landy, and Walsh. After due consideration the following verdict, based upon the medical testimony, was returned:—"The deceased, Richard Connolly, met with Ids death at Waihi through pneumonia, on April 10, caused by exposure after an accidental fall over the old"Snverton tramline tip-head on April 5." On April 8, shortly before eight o'clock, the body of a man was found floating in th*> harbour, near the Hobson-street Wharf. On the information being conveyed to the police. Constables Caluli and Pinkerton proceeded to the spot and recovered the body, which was conveyed to the morgue, and'identified as that of an old man named Isaac Keighlry (about 60 years of age). During the afternoon an inquest was held. The jury returned a verdict of " Found drowned*," adding that there was not sufficient evidence to show by what means deceased got into the water. A young man named Parkinson was killed at the Tikokino sawmill, Hawke's Bay. re cently, He was working with another man named Walker in moving some heavy logs 35ft long. Walker was on the upper side and Parkinson on the lower. Walker called out that the log was moving, and told the other to stand out of the way. The latter jumped round to the top side, and one end of the log fell down and the other flew up and struck Parkinson on the head, jamming it against another log, and smashing the skull. The accident was seer, by other men, who at once removed the body to some grans close by, but he never spoke again, and died half-tm-hnur later. Our Hukeremii South correspondent, writing on April 8. says:—! have, to chronicle another sad accident that happened this afternoon, resulting in the death by drowning of a man named George Brooker. lie was rafting logs in the Waiofu River, when his pole slipped, and he fell hi. An unmarried man named John Pendrill

was killed ;it Mercury Bay on April 8. in a most peculiar manner. Pondrill, who has been for many years working in the bushes about Mercury Bay and Hikutaie was on April 8 employed on a bush contract at Rangihau. Thqrc were five men engaged, two being at work felling a very large kauri several chains away from where the other three were working. The. large kauri in its fall struck a kauri sapling, which snapped, am was thrown about two chains, where it came in contact with something, which caused it to rebound towards where (lie three men were working. It nick Pondrill, and instantly decapitated him. On Anvil 12 the body of an elderly man named John Brooks was found in a lank in the Christ church railway station. Deceased had only been released from Lyttelton gaol on April 10 after serving a sentence of six months for obtaining money by false pretences. A child three and n-half years of age named Xcwnliain, fell into a tub of hot "sponge" ut a bakehouse at Oholioka, and was scalded so severely that it died. Our Eltbam correspondent writes:ft is with the deepest regret that 1 record.the death of Walter Horsup, aged six years, sun of Mr. Ilorsup of this town, who was accidentally seriously burned a short time ago. Another fatal tramway accident occurred at Oiiristchurch. on Monday the 7th of April. Harry Frost, a well-known private detective, was standing on the front platform of the tram to Sumner, when he was thrown oil" while the car was swinging round a corner, falling on his face and shoulder. He was taken to Sumner and attended to, but the case was hopeless, and he died soon after from his injuries. When the seven o'clock tram was coming down from Papamii to hristchurch on the sih of April, a. young woman named Mary Brown, 23 years of age, endeavoured to jump off while the cars were in motion. She fell, and the tram went over both legs, inflicting frightful injuries. She was taken to the hospital in the amoulunce van, butdied shortly after midnight, iia-2 was the daughter of Mr. Peter Brown, Akaroa. and niece ,of Mr. Campbell Brown, Lyttelton. At the inquest on the body, the jury returned a, verdict of accidental death, no blame being attachable to anybody. On April 6, at Charlotte - street, Eden Terrace, Albeit Huxford, a nine-

year-old son of Mr. Alfred Huxford, died "rather unexpectedly. It seems that while playing at see-saw with some other children on the 3rd inst. the little fellow fell and injured his knee. The injury was not at the time considered sufficiently serious to necessitate calling in a medical man, but as the boy became much worse on the 6th of April, Dr. Elgin was summoned, but death intervened before the doctor arrived. .The body of Mrs. Sullivan, who was lost three weeks previously, at Carterton, was found on Sunday, April 6. in a dense clump of gorse, about 500 yds from the railway line, in the opposite direction to where her bag was found. The body was much decomposed. A Maori boy named iria Tenia, aged about seven years, was accidentally shot at Olive on April 21, and. he succumbed to his injuries to-day. A fowling piece had been left at the side of a. house, having been used for hawk shooting. Not knowing it was loaded, two Maori boys began larking with it, when the weapon went off, lria being wounded in the left side. Dr. Linney attended the lad, but the wound was a mortal one.

There was a lively scene on April 22 at a special meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board. The meeting was, called to frame instructions to the .secretary, Mr. J. M. Brigham, whom the Board decided at last meeting to send to London to further negotiate with the Admiralty regarding the equipment of Calliope Dock. At the commencement of the meeting Mr. J. 11. Witheford proceeded to read a letter addressed to the chairman, setting forth reasons why Air. Brigham should not be sent to London. he chairman ruled that the meeting being called for a special purpose they could only discuss the question of instructions to Mr. Brigham, and repeatedly asked "Mr. VVitheford to take his scat. This Mr. Witheiord declined to do, and at times several members were on their feet at once protesting against Mr. Withel'ord's conduct in defying the chair. The chairman threatened to get Mr. Witheford ejected from the room, and matters went so far that one of the Board's officials was brought to the Board room feu- this purpose, hut eventually some sort of order was restored, and the Board proceeded to consider a number of recommendations by a sub-committee, as to the instructions to Mr. Brigham. These were opposed all through by Mr. Wifheford, who had the support of Messrs. Harris, Grey, Julian, and Stiehbury, but there were six votes on the other side and a set of instructions were adopted before the Board adjourned to meet again to consider Mr. Brigham's power of attorney and the question of his expenses. An Order-iu-Council has been passed imposing an export doty of 2s per hundred superj --' feet on kauri timber in hitches not exceeding 30in in width and Gin in thickness. The Order-in-Cuncil issued also imposes the following export duties on kauri timber: Logs round, logs cut in half, logs squared with axe or saw, three shillings per hundred superficial feet; the same schedule of rates will be applied us in white pine. At a meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association on Monday, April 14, it was decided that application be made for permission to hold the next industrial exhibition in Wellington in 1904, or at. near thereafter as possioie. It was men tioned that practically tne whole ground used for the exhibition of 1896 was still available.