WAIMATA DROWNING FATALITY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14196, 13 January 1917, Page 5

WAIMATA DROWNING FATALITY

An inquest -respettiil'g^^th l^ death of I Bartium IJobert Watkins, railway clerk; Gisborne, who. .was disowned m the \Va;-' mala* river- onr •Sahday Wbj- '• vftk& dpened last evening before; 1 Mr V\f.\ A. Barton > I S.M. f } tiifltriGt't<6ro'Aei'. > . 1 ; .-After viewing j the body the inquiry ; Tvaa . adjovuii^d. tuntil li a.m.yt'oldiiy./. - i'li* proceedings I were resumed this morning, .SergeantMiiiTay representing '..tbji police. yVilliam Normtin;' railway?, olerk, &i&bornfe,' deposed to indantifyirig 1 the body of deceased, ,whom-he had known vfor three years; Oii'iSxmday last deceasedi; witiies^J. and < : sevstal -' ; 'oiSherdr wenl6 V for ' a picnio ,up the Wainiata river to ,a place ' called thti ,;-,Hple : in4h6>-\^aljl. r, ; '^hey, reached thcare >aboiit ; midday^- and decided to, ■go for ; water. ; ,To'<; do;^ so they ; liad? to cross the,r i w iyet*,- u <vftd )? .Aj\liesa;rs>- tiokeriiig, Pollock; . deceased, ■ ,*nd. ; witness put <al tjieiiv ;;ajid «warn , theriver. % Ttiey, proceeded , to Mfr Wall s, a.i'd^stanee of ftbout'hal.f^a .ixule>''a.n4.'.p>,'<^ cured' watei'j'.retuniih^" and cl'bss:ng '■ a'i little lpweiVidQwn. • ; .'l|akin,g the water to v the canip'they;' w^nt to the liver to bathe All four men, ..tpge^ther with one of the ladies qf the party,, swam over tha ; river., and jested -a f ew' minutes' oil tha oppo : site ; :ba;nk. . .Deceased api>eaved to be m excellejifc spirit^. . 'Wiey . staivtsd to iu'os;* the river again, .AvitiVess diviyg m iirst, and . deceased > |ollowed. -y- Turning round he sayr deceased was m difticultias; having called out, "Here, Bill." , Hwim ; ming to him immediately witness caught hold of tho back Of -deceased's bathing costume and tried' to keep him afloat: Witness -beoam c' exhauated, and < was unable to keep deceased afloat. On reaching the shore; he- fouijd- deceased had sunkv Pickmng and J?ollock were- also unsuccessful m igoing to Watki^s assist : nnce., Cbnat, -Wa^t arrived, -on thp -scene about thres-qua»ters qi ;>ap. hour after tfi^> accident, €k>«at. -Butterworth -arriv-ing .subaequently; v^ritli dragging apparatus. : IV the Cc-ronteE"-: deceased enifei?" ed the river he appeared to'-be-in good health and excellent spirits. (Ho. was Aot"- a good swimmer, but witness ■. had been swimming with him during the" sea-son:- The, distance across the river was about 12' yai'dgv • ' ' : '- '■ . v-- ; Ralph H. Pickering, railway cadet; stated lie had 'knOwii deceased for about, a year. He ; cojifirm.ed the - evidence of the previous wiMhess, adding that he did • not see deceased dive m the last time. He saw Norman trying to .save deceased, and saw the latter disappear/ Watkiris appeared _to be. m hia usual health and good spirits. He was noi a;.gopd swimmer. , Ho had never complained ot cratnp, but had often • come out of . the : wateiv stating {hat- he was nqti feeling too well. . Ha made no <such complaint; hotweyer, . thaA : morning. . , Const. Buttervvorth deposed to proceeding to the-ftole-in-the-W.-all on Suii-. day afternoon last, and to/ the subsequent dragging oparations;- On- going up the river yesterday , afternoon the body was found m the triver about 130' yards from whene the accident occuiTed. . Tile' pool; r where- : the body, was .said to ha-ve sunk was fully. 28ft- in depth inparts, and ithere was a"str6ng cuiTeni; I'unn.ing through, it. ,. Tlie spot where 1 ' deceased attempted to swim, aci'oss was from" 12' toj.6, yards m widiih.' -„ ,;His',W4rsiliip' relumed ■•■ a verdict Vot" :"Accidentaily drowned." . .