HARBOUR FATALITIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7355, 6 February 1911, Page 5

HARBOUR FATALITIES

TWO MDX DROWNED

BODIES OF HULK-KEEPER AND NEWS-VENDOR FOUND. Dr A. McArthur, coroner, held an inquest at the morgue on Saturday touching the dcnlli of James Briggs,keeper of tho hulk Orcti. who was drowned in the harbour on Friday evening. Station-Son-' grant Darby represented Hie police. Sir P. J. O’Regan watched the proceedings on behalf of Mrs Briggs. Elizabeth Briggs, wife of ithe deceased, said that lie had been keeper of the Orcti for the past two years. She tost saw her hut'Uind alive about 7.55 .p.m. on Friday, when sho left to go into town, dhe returned to the hulk at 9.30 p.m., and about a quarter of an hour later heard some humping. She took no notiea of this, thinking it was her husband working on deck. Later sho hoard a smothered cry, and, going on deck, called out to the meji in the Harbour Board tolls ollice, telling them there was a man overboard. Witness and her husband lived on board the hulk, which at tho time of the accident was moored nt No. 11 south. Queen’s Wharf. There was a gangway out on Friday night and witness considered it perfectly safe, having crossed over it herself. She saw the body recovered from the harbour next morning, .and recognised it ns that of her bus. band, who was about fifty-nine years of age. • William Meredith,- nighitwatchman in the tolls office on the Queen’s Wharf, stated that while on duty about 9.45 pan. on Friday evening he heard someone calling out. He immediately ran outside and saw Sirs Briggs, who said sho thought somebody had fallen overboard. Witness went to the spot indicated by Mrs Briggs, but found no trace of anybody having fallen into the water. 'Witness communicated with tho police, and a search was made with lumps by Constable Tait and Nightwratohman Wilson, lit was a very tempestuous and dark night, Wowing and raining. Station-Sergeant Darby: Was tho gangway lighted? Witness: The gangway was not lighted —that was the, trouble. , It was not compulsory, witness continued, for the gangway to have been lighted. Ho thought it would bo a wise precaution to have the gangway lighted. Some , hulk-keepers had lights at their gangways. Witness last saw deceased alive about 8.45 p.m., when ho left tho tolls office to go on board tho hulk. _ .Edward Wilson, a nightwatahman in the employ of the Wellington Harbour Board, stated that he last saw tho. deceased, whom ho’knew well, between 8.39 mid 9 p.m. in the tolls office. On learning what had occurred'witness procured a hand-lamp and assisted Constable Tait in a thorough search under tiio wharf, but found no trace of ony person.

Constable Tait Stated that ho knew the (deceased ■well. He saw him at 8.55 o’clock on Friday evening by the hulk Orelii, He -was engaged in straightening the gangway, after which he stepped upon it and commenced to go on board. That was the last time witness paw him’alive. At 9.45 p.m. the police bell at tile tolls office rang, and Mr Meredith told witness that, somebody bad been drowned. Witness went to the hulk, but oould see nothing, there being no lights on. the vessel. Mr Wilson then brought a lamp and with witness carried out a thorough search round the hulk and under the wharf. ' Constable Wade gave evidence regarding the search for and discovery of the body. He commenced dragging in the •vicinity of the. hulk about 9.30 a.m. on.' Saturday. He dropped the grapplingirons about three feet out from the wharf, and dragged a distance of about twelve feet fa-bout ' parallel with the the hulk on the previous night). On bringing the irons to the surface the first time the body of the deceased; was in the hooks. . A verdict of found drowned was returned. ALEX. STEVENSON'S DEATH. An inquest was also held concerning the death of Alexander Stevenson, a. news-vendor, whose body was discovered floating under the Queen’s Wharf in’the vicinity of the hulk Greta on. Saturday morning. , • Eldward Wilson, nightwatchman for tho Wellington Harbour Board, stated that he knew the deceased by sight. He saw him about 9.45 p.m. on Friday making an attempt to go on hoard the Oreti. He had one foot on a stringer and another on the wharf. Witness ordered him off the wharf, as he knew that he had had an accident at the same hulk a few weeks previous. Ho turned to walk away, and that was the last witness saw of him. Deceased was frequently about the main gates of the wharf. . Constable Tait stated that ho knew the deceased well. He saw him at 9.35 p.m. in front of the Pier Hotel. Ho then showed signs of having had drink. Witness said: "You have been drinking again. Alex,” to which he replied, "It's aU right, Mr Tait." Witness then odvisod him to go home. Deceased, however, went over in the direction of tho wharf- AVitneas did not again see him' alive. ■ He was in the habit of sleeping around the wharves, and at times took a little too much drink. ConrtabJe Murray stated that at 5.20 a.m. on Saturday he saw a body floating under No. 11, Qneen’s Wharf. He sc. cured the body, and identified it os that of Stevenson.

1 A verdict of found drowned was returned, there being no evidence to shoV how deceased got into the water.