DROWNED IN HARBOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19488, 18 November 1926, Page 14

DROWNED IN HARBOUR.

FATE OF ELDEftLY MAN. EVIDENCE, AT THE INQUEST. [by telegraph,—own correspondent.} WELLINGTON. Wednesday. An inquest - concerning the death of Thomas Tracey, a camp cook aged 68 years,? who fell into the harbour and was drowned last Sunday afternoon, was held before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., to-day. The evidence showed that Tracey was seen by a seaman sitting on a stringer on the Queen's Wharf. The seaman warned him that he was in danger of falling into the water, but he said he would be all right. The seaman passed on, and had not gone very far when the old man did fall into the water. Another seaman, William Kingston, attracted by a number of people who were watching Tracey struggling in the-water, dived in without and supported him- until a boat arrived. Artificial respiration was tried without success and Dr. Richards, who was called, could only pronounce life to be extinct. In returning a finding of accidental death by drowning, the coroner said that Kingston's action was to be commended. He had acted promptly and had done his best to save Tracey's life.