SAD FATALITY AT MOTUROA

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145999, 4 December 1917, Page 5

SAD FATALITY AT MOTUROA

VERDICT OP ACCIDENTAI>'DEATH. The inquest concerning the death of Mr. Ralph Craw'sha-w at Moturoa on Saturday night (December 1) was held on Monday afternoon before Mr. A. Crooko, district coroner. Sergeant Trohey conducted the inquiry. Richard Williams, wharf labourer, Leach Street, deposed that he and W. B. Kivell, C V. Russell and Crawshaw boarded a dinghy at the harbour about 10.15 p.m. and rowed out towards a launch which was about a hundred yards from the shore. Witness was rowing, and til ore was a slight choppy sea at the time. When seven or eight yards from the launch the dinghy was swamped. Crawshaw commenced to swin to the nearest launch (Mr. King’s), a few yards away, and witness heard him call out something, but did not catch what it was. Russell said he could not swim, and so witness and Kivell caught'hold of him, and Kivell also caught hold of the dinghy, which was partly submerged, and they all paddled to the launch. After the dinghy was righted witness called out to Crawshaw, hut got no reply and went to look for him. Pie found him lying face downwards in the water two or three yards behind Mr. King’s launch. There wore no signs of life. The body was taken to the shore and artificial respiration applied till the arrival of Dr. Blackley. Witness had heard Crawshaw say he was a good swimmer. The dinghy had carried four men before, and witness considered it quite safe in smooth water. All the men in it were sitting down when the accident occurred. The side of the dinghy, when loaded, would be about four inches out of the water.

To the Coroner: The dinghy shipped a little water coming over the breakers, and it was not baled out. The boat had been lying in the sand, and might Have been leaking all the time. He felt the water at his feet while he was rowing, but did not think there would bo danger before the launch was reached. Walter Bayly Kivell, storeman. New Plymouth, in his evidence said that a north-east wind that was blowing caused the water to be a little choppy. After the finding of the body by Williams witness took off part of his clothing and helped push the dinghy and body ashore. Owing to the dinghy being still partly full of water Crawshaw could not bo put on board. The cry which he gave while Russell was being helped to the launch did not strike witness as denoting distress. The condition and loading of the boat appeared quite safe to witness, who did not know exactly what caused it to bo swamped. Dr. D. Blackley deposed that he saw Crawshaw about 11.15 on the beach at Moturoa, and could detect no signs of life. Artificial respiration was maintained, however, until 11.50, when, as there was evidence that death had taken place, the body was conveyed to town. Witness had attended Crawshaw professionally for many years, the last time being about two years ago. Ho was of opinion that death was the result of

syncope, duo to sudden immersion in cold water.

Joseph Alfred Fahy, telephone mechanician, New Plymouth, and brother-in-law to Crawshaw, said that though he had no actual proof that the deceased man was a. good swimmer, all his acquaintances said he waj. Crawshaw enjoyed fairly good health, hut seemed to think that his failing was a . weak heart. Constable H. Blaikio gave evidence of identification. The Coroner, in giving his verdict, said that it was quite clear that tho dinghy was not as safe as the witnesses seemed to think it was. It was evident : that it was making water. Either the ' boat was sunk so low with tho weight , of the men that tho ripple tipped it I over, or else the water leaked up through the seams. Of course tho swamping was the indirect cause of the death of deceased. The verdict was that Crawshaw was accidentally thrown into the sea at Moturoa harbour owing to a dinghy, in which he was with the throe others, being swamped, and that he died from syncope through immersion in tho cold i water