DROWNED IN HARBOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20870, 12 May 1931, Page 12

DROWNED IN HARBOUR.

FATE OF SHIP'S STEWARD. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. An inquest was held yesterday concerning the death of Mr. Peter MeGrattan, aged 49, a steward on the cable s!earner Iris, whose body was found floating in tho harbour, near the cable jetty, Devonport, on Saturday evening. A seaman on the Iris, Alexander Sydney Sligo, said that at about 6.50 p.m. on Saturday he rowed the second officer, Mr. J. Hare, from the ship to tho jetty. While waiting for Mr. Hare to return to the boat witness heard a loud splash and later saw deceased, who had also been on tho jetty, floating face downward in the water. Mr. Ilare came running back and hc!p?d witness to tako deceased's body from the wa'cr. As far as witness knew deceased was single. Dr. W. Gilmour, who conducted a post-mortem examination, said death was due to drowning. Deceased's kidneys were in an advanced state of disease and this might have accounted for him falling into the water. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned by tho coroner, Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M. BODY NEAR RAILWAY. OPEN VERDICT RETURNED. An open verdict "was returned by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M , coroner, at the adjourned inquest yesterday on the body of Mr. Henry Robb, which was found floating in the harbour, near the No. 1 bridge on tho waterfront railway embankment last Wednesday. Deceased wa» about 59 years of age and bad resided at 2, Eccles Avenue, City. Di'. I) N. W. Murray, who had made a post-mortem examination, said there were no external signs of violence and the body had not been in the water more than 24 hours. Death was due to drowning. In returning a verdict in aceoi dance with the medical evidence, the coronet added that there was no evidence to determine how deceased came to be in the water.