ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19204, 21 June 1924, Page 10

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

THE WANGANUI RIYER TRAGEDY. INQUEST ON THE VICTIM. SECOND TRAGEDY .NARROWLY AVERTED. (Peb United Press Association.) WANGANUI, Juno 20. At the inquest, concerning tho tragic 'oath of Mr H. V. Duigan, it was disclosed hat there was nearly a second tragedy. (Villiam John Hartwell ( railway porter at Aramoho, who was getting his boat in near the Aramoho bridge, heard a cry like “hey” further down the river. Ho answered, and getting no reply proceeded down tho river bank where ho noticed a lantern alight. He searched for a while and then returned and got his boat and sot off down stream. In tho dark he fouled a rope and tho boat capsized. Luckily ho caught, hold of tho rope and dragged himself on to deceased’s launch, from which lie was taken in an exhausted condition. Hartwell was unable to swim and the river was in heavy Hood at tho time, A verdict of accidental death was returned. the Coroner commending those who had assisted on their promptness. BEN AVON STATION TRAGEDY. OAMARU. June 20. At tho inquest on the 16-year-old boy, Vernon M'Lenna.n, who was found hanging to a tree on the Bon Avon Station, near Oamaru, on Wednesday, the verdict was that death was duo to strangulation, caused by being hung to a tree by a strap, there being no evidence to show why the strap was affixed to the tree.