LAKE ROTORUA TRAGEDY.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13647, 12 February 1913, Page 6

LAKE ROTORUA TRAGEDY.

' '■'■". : ■■/'■' o^s'Ha.-^b.,;ifc-At the inquest the,.deiath■ oj Splom'dn Newton,'.'th<a^jtnoxi"-: .who- was dro\i-hed in Lqlcc .Roiprua o^ Sunday, tile evidence shovyed that a !party of fifteen, includuigjtfii^e Natives, spent. + ne day on the iaie. They Had" with them five dozen bottles, of beer arid six bottles •of whisky. "By tlie time Hamurana, the second port of call, was reached, all the liquor'had been consumed, and the party was more or less intoxicated. The Organiser of the party admitted that he was not sober enough to remember the details of the accident, but others stated that Solomon was walking along the side of the launch .when iye .slipped. Although he was a good swimmer he made no effort in the water, and eank when the launch was close to ihim. Evidence wag given that the man in charge was under the influence of liquor shortly after landing. . - A verdict of accidental drowning was returned.