THE REGENT BATHING FATALITY.

Colonist, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11554, 15 February 1906, Page 2

THE REGENT BATHING FATALITY.

THE INQUEST. An inquest on the body of Wilfred Hannan, who was' drowned in the Maitai river on Tuesday evening was held at the Police Station yeserday, before Mr Ernest Trask, Acting Coroner, and a jury consisting of Messrs T. W. Bradshaw (foreman), F. Cooper, A. G. Burt, C. Thomas, T. J. Moloney,and William Strange. , Sergeant Dougan"called — Dr. Andrew, Who Stated that he Was ih Kile street on Tuesday afteriioorl abpdt 5.25 p.m., \Vhen a cyclist informed him that a boy had been drowned in Sunday Hole, iv the Maitai. lie proceeded to the spot as quickly as possible, and found the lad lying on the bank, and several persons trying to restore life. He endeavored for the next hour anda half to resuscitate the deceased, but there was not the slightest sign 6f life. In his opinion deceased met his death by drowning. By the Sergeant: Sylvester's methods of artificial restoration were tried. Harry Jackson, a lad 12>_» years of age, stated that he was. up the Maitai on Tuesday evening, in company with Allan Sham and deceased, bathing in Sunday Hole. They all undressed near the life belt, but deceased did not go in the water with them. He went higher up the river, out of view. It was ten minutes or more before thoy missed him. They found deceased lying on the bottom of the rivor face downwards. The alarm was given, and several men came up, the body being got out by Mr Stewart It was fully five minutes from the time they (the boys) saw the body till it was got to tbe bank. By a juror: There were only three of them in the river. The body was found in about eight feet of water. George Stewart, clerk in the Railway Department, stated that he was going for a swim in the Maitai at Sunday Hole, about ten minutes past five, when he heard some boys calling out that a man was drowned. He started undressing as he ran and on reaching the spot saw a body on the bottom of the river. lie dived in and brought it out, but life was apparently extinct. The usual methods for restoring the drowned were at onoe adopted, and a doctor was immediately sent for. Deceased never showed any signs of life. He had never had any instructions in the methods for restoring the drowned, but had read it up. -The body was in about eight feet of water. He thought perhaps deceased had stepped into the water, thinking it was less deep than it really was. Henry Allan Sham, 13 years of age, who was with deceased, corroborated Jackson's evidenoe. He stated that he dived in the river, but could not get near deceased. He called out to Jackson, who came over slowly, thinking he was only playing. He then called out to two little boys who were on the bridge, and they ran along. Neither of the boys could dive, but several men then came up, and about a minute later Mr Stewart dived in, and brought the body ashore. The jury returned a verdict that deceased was acidentally drowned whi.e -bathing in the Maitai, and recommended that notice boards be erected warning bathers of the dangerous state of . Sunday Hole. The jury also noted that young Sham, who is a very small boy, bad made an effort to rescue his companion, but could not reach the body. The remains of deceased wero taken to Greymouth yesterday by the Mapourika for interment.