The Inquest.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 16, 19 April 1884, Page 2

The Inquest.

The inquest was held at the Court House on Tuesday evening before Chas. S. Stafford, Esq., .I.P. The following jury hciving been sworn : — C. Ahier, W. Quintan, A. T.iylor, H. Keid, J. 13, Hanna, A. Cotton, C. Murray, P. Tringham, J. Ijimell, 0. A. Laidlaw, VV. J. Young, U. Colebrook, ami H. ! Crump. Mr Ahier was elected Foreman. On returning from viewing the body at Warren's Hotel, the following evidence was adduced :—: — Captain John McDonald Syms (manner), Thames, sworn : Am captain of the via. Recollect Friday, April It. Saw deceased on that day on board of the punt in tow of the Huia. He was steering the punt. lie was employed by me as punt hand. We left the Thames on Thursday and came as far as f.iie .Junction. Left the Junction at 5 o() b'riday morning for Te xVroha. Deceased btcered the punt which was m tow of the Htiia. We had breakfast ; about i) at Waitoki ; proceeded up river all right as far as Mr Edward.-,' land, when coming round a sharp bend in the river at that place whilst [ was watching the punt which was cheering abouv \erv much, J suddenly perceived the deceased fall over the side. 1 afterwards found that th idler had bioken. Judging i from the appearance of the tiller after I j '« aw it, I judge lie allowed it to work half out of its socket. The breaking of the tiller would be likely to cause him to go overboard, have often seen tillers break without causing those in charge to fall over board. Deceased had still hold of the tiller when he first dropped into the water. He started at once to swim after the punt again the current quite strongly. I called out to him not to hurry himself not swim too quickly, and to swim for the shore. He replied, " T'm all right " Where he fell in was much nearer one side than centre of river, but in swimming after punt he got into middle of the river. When about tue middle of the river, and making towards the bank, he called out to me " Quick ! quick ! I can't hold up any longer,'' and sank imme liately. Wnen he fell overboard at once stopped the tug and turned her round to go to him. When about half a boat's length from him. with a lite-buoy in my hand ready to throw to him, he went down quite suddenly. At the place there is a very strong current, the strongest between Mere and the Junction. He appeared in his usual health that morning, and in i>ooi spirits. At the time he fell overboard he was smoking his pipe. Tuere must have been inattention on the part of the I deceased to allow the tiller to work on I of its place. LJoth the engineer an i myself saw him hd over. T.ie. en {Ineer reveised the engine-- at once. I miliooked t/ie tow-lui' 1 , and in.ide eveiy po^ible effort ;iud speed to save him. bYom the time he fell over till he -ank not mote than a minute and a half elapsed. I kept the boat rig'it over the «pol for about an hour, then came on to To Aroha for assistance. Siw body to-day at Walker' -> Hotel and uvognise it a-< that of decewed ; it, in not altered a bit. lie was about 17 or I > ye.i'sold. L was present on Sunday I i^l when the body was leeovered. The body u;h recowrel within n few rur Is of where he i.inly. Ami vpiite certain lie m>t with no foul ]>lay in any way at all : we w->ro the beht of ti'iemib. Quifce impossible t':at ho could hfivo met \\h\\ any i'oiil pl.iy, as there wa^ no one on the punt but himself. lie was a young h uul at the work, but was pretty good at it, and was accustomed to boats. A lad only lo a'terwiirds steered the punt to Aroha. The tiller was made of kauri. (Tiller was drawn, out from the ru Idor head when it broke.) Decease I Mas a very good swimmer. The morning hal been bitterly cold, ice on board when we turned out th.it morning. I did not feel uneasy about him at first, and was greatly surprised to see him go down. I think he must have been drawn under by the very strong eddy and under-cur-rent that exists in the place where the accident happened. There is an exceedingly strong 1 under-current at this place. William John Patterson, sworn : Am eugiiver of Huia. Ivecollect Friday, April 11. Saw deceased that dny on board the punt in tow of the Huia en route from Thames to Te Aroha. ] saw the decoased fall overboard from off the punt whilst steering. He fell overboard through the tiller breaking. I saw it break and saw him fall with it He fell right into the water full length. I believe the tiller was quite, strong enough. Boat slewed coming round the bend. As soon as he got into the water he struck out to swim. Believe he was a very good swimmer. He appeared to swim quite strong, at first he began to swim after the punt for a second or two, but the captain told him to s swim for the . bank. He sang out, Xi I'm all right-, 1 ' i and did n>t appear at all flurried ; on

contrary' appeared quite confident. Whilst making For the spit, he got into the middle of the river ; the bend of the river at the place causes a very strong edily. 1 did not see him sink, having 4*ono down into the engine-room. Altogether he whs not more than ahout one and a half miiiut.'S in the water before he went down Nobody was present but Captain Syrns and myself at the time of the accident. Every pt ssible effort was made to save deceased, I was busy with the engine ; took very short time to get boat to him, and the captain had life-buoy and ropp. Was present when the body was found yesterday. H»ive seen the body at Warren's Hotel, and recognise it as that of deceased. My belief is that in the ordinary course of events he would not have sunk nearly so soon, and believe he must either have got cramps or that the under-current must have drawn him down. Sergeant William Emerson, sworn : Am sergeant in charge police station, To Aroha. Was present when decease IV body was recovered yesterday from the river. The spot is about eight mile? from here. 1 searched the bo ly, and found in '.he left vest pocket 3s 3d in silver. In the left-hand trouper pocket a knife and match-box. Deceased had no marks of violence when taken out of the water. Both legs were extended full length from the body ; both arms as if just about to make a stroke in swimming. Have no reason to suppose that deceased's deatli was other than accidental. Alter hearing this evidence, the Jury retired for about, half an hour. On reassembling they gave the following verdict :: — '• That the «aid William Onyon, on the 1 1th day of April, 1884, being in a punt on the Waihou river, engaged in steering, did, through the breaking of j the tiller, lose his bal.ince and fall into siid river and w.is then and there casually and accidentally drowned, whereby he then and there instantly did, an ; so they, the Jurors aforesaid, on their oath aforesaid, do say that the said William Onyon in manner, and by the means aforesaid, accidentally, casually, and by misfortune, came to his death and not otherwise." The following rider was also added : " The Jury recommend that the barges employed on the river be fitted with fore-and-aft guard rails, about 10ft. long, and that iron tillers securely fastened to the rudder be used." The Jury also expressed the opinion that the captain and engineer were in no way whatever to blame, and had used every possible effort to save the deceased. The body was conveyed to the Thames in the Waitoa on Tuesday morning. Much sympathy is expressed for the i afflicted parents.