DIVED TO DEATH

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 552, 3 January 1929, Page 7

DIVED TO DEATH

bather strikes ledge IN STREAM CORONER’S HINT TO AUTHORITIES (Special to THE SUN) WIUNGAREI, 'Wednesday. Diving into the Waiorahia stream on Sunday, Frank Bosnich, aged 17 years, struck a hidden ledge and brpke his neck. At an inquest held by Mr. J. 11. Luxford, S.M., coroner, to-day, evidence was given that Bosnich dived into the stream and did not appear again. Dr. Ventry Smith, who examined the body, said the neck gave evidence of either a fracturo or dislocation. lie considered the cause was laceration of the spinal cord, causing instantaneous death. Deceased had evidently come into contact with some substance with considerable force. The coroner found that deceased met his death while swimming in the Waiorahia Stream, the cause being a dislocation of the neck received by diving into the river and striking a projecting ledge. No blame was attachable to anyone. The coroner said it seemed extraordinary t hat in a town the size of Whangarei there were no public bathing facilities, especially in view of the warm weather obtaining here and the natural inclination of young people to bathe. It seemed unfortunate that they must go to whatever place was available. Unfortunately, statistics had shown that a great number of accidents liad occurred in such streams. It was to be hoped that the authorities would take steps to provide safe facilities for bathing.