DROWNING ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15132, 24 October 1912, Page 7

DROWNING ACCIDENT.

('ATTEMPT TO CROSS A RIVES - '-. - - —___ • - V [BY • TEtEGBAPH.—SBESS ASSOCIATION.] , ', ■'•/■' , - CniaSTCHTOCir, Wedne»day.' £? Coalgate-; yesteiday the district Coroner conducted an inuuest touchingthe , "" ," death of ,John Allinfibn. . I -~ :■:>•]' K-;' Joseph Taylor/stated that he and de--5: ' ceased wure labourers, employed at ; the k ■ Mount . Algiclas station . On Saturday .''•■• : last deceased" and witness; left --the , station, I;-: horsebacfc at .about six .o'clock in the . .morning to come down-/to Chnstchurcb. (; At. "Wilberforce'. River they -looked . 7for; ' / fee ford, and came toa place where there - -were horse:.tracks. 5 Deceased suggested •lv>: that they, should. cross : there, but witness V demurred, as ha believed it would.be too :'• dangerous. Deceased said. "We'll chance ; : ft," - and • went into the . river. . Before he :, bad gone -far. both "he and his horse had ' disappeared Deceased stuck to the horse for fifty or sixty yards and was then. washed down ■ Stream. -Where .the 7 acci- ■':■■: dent happened 'the river runs very fast.. ■1 ■: Witness could do ■.nothing to help deceased, : :; who was wearing. a heavy overcoat :'.v. / .. * W.' Logan, station manager, gave evi;*7 dance as to" the finding of the'body in,the ftakaia River, seven miles from where the 7 - deceased -went '-in. At' the point - .where the deceased tried .to cross'the river it :^.: w33particalarly dangerous.; ;>:; ; '\;.v'v .A .verdict was returned to the .effect that deceased was accidentia drowned. - -. .. . WSkmk.i- . ->*■" '~.-. --. ••■-. • ■■• . -■■'. . •-■'" : '