INQUEST.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 2980, 17 June 1899, Page 4

INQUEST.

. ♦ An inquest was held at the hospi* tal yesterday before Mr 0. A. Wray, Coroner, into the»circumßtances of the death of Blackburn Catlow. The following were the iary— Messrs W. Huggins (foreman), O'Rourke, C. Knight, P. Cox, G. Cox, and Barry. . Sergeant Fraaer called the following witnesses :— G. Stumbles, foreman of works at the breakwater, stated that a very heavy sea was running on the 13th May from *. to B.E. It came up very quickly, between two and three o'clock. About half-paßt four it was very heavy indeed, the seas breaking over the end of the wharf, and carrying shingle into the harbour. A 30-ton concrete block was washed off the top tier on to the breakwater at the end of the wharf. Seas had been washing over the end of the wharf for about half an hour before that. Deceased was working with the crane-driver, 600 ft shoreward of that point. Could not say why deceased left the crane. Saw him going from it down the wharf, about half-past four. Supposed that he went to look at the block that had been washed on to the breakwater. Followed him, about 150 yards behind him. When 150 ft or 200 ft from the end,—deceased was then standing at the end, leaning against tho rail— a tremendous sea came over the wharf, and deceased disappeared. There were other people nearer to deceased, could not say who they were. Mr Tennent was one, and he ran away to the steamer at the wharf for a boat. Saw deceased come to the surface, over 60ft from the wharf, a few seconds after he went over. He seemed to be paddling, m a feeble way, with his hands. Thought from his appearance that he was "done." Ran away then to get a boat, but found that Mr Tennent had started Bradley's boat out. Saw no more of deceared. Supposed that he was prompted by curiosity m going to the end. Did not think it dangerous, if one kept a look-out for the. seas, and ran away from them. Would have gone himself. Two others were at the end, and they ran away when the big wave came. The deceased was a steady, hardworking, industrious man. There was a life-buoy at the end of the wharf but there was no show of throwing it the distance where deceased came up. A good swimmer might have given assistance, it waa possible. The boat was there very quickly— within two and a half or three minutes. It was not deceased's duty to go to the end of the wharf at the time, but he would be anxious to have a look at the block. He was m the employ of the Harbour Board as a day labourer. Witness helped to recover the body on Thursday, and identified it by the clothing. To the foreman : Did not call deceased back. Would not say it was his duty to go. He was working with the blocks, and took very great interest m his work, and naturally would want to see if anything could be done when a block washed over. A juror remarked that if it was not deceased's duty to go to the end of the wharf, he waß a long way from his post. It was strange that a man should be allowed to run away from his work like that. The witness said he had not run away from his work. It was part of hia duty to look after things, and he took great interest m his work. The juror (Mr Barry) said it might be a question whether deceased lost his life m the execution oi his dnty. Alfred Budc*, baker and confectioner, stated that he was on the wharf at the time of the accident, about 15 yards from the end. Mr Tennent and Mr W. Hay were also standing there, and deceased was standing at the rail, with a youth named Miller. A slight sea came over and splashed Miller and deceased about the feet. There was a laugh at that, as usual. Miller retired, and Catlow stepped up on the centre rail and sat on the top rail, with his face to the south, towards the seas. He had hardly got seated, when a heavy sea came over. It towered above the lamp-post. The cry was raised " Oh, the man!" Nothing was seen except the body of water. Mr Tennent said " He's gone," and at once ran up the wharf towards the steamer Taupo for a boat. Mr Hay and witness stepped to the edift of the wharf to look for the man. He reappeared m the water about 60yds frpm the end of the wharf, and began swimming towards the centre of the harbour, with a strong breast stroke, giving witness the impression that he was a good swimmer; and he had no doubt that he would be rescued, as Bradley's boat bad already left the Taupo. Deceased had swum about 40 yards (aided by the run of the water) and was still swimming, when the boat started. There was a sort of eddy, marked by a line of foam, where the run of the water ceased —about 100 yards from the wharf — and when deceased got into that his strokes became shorter and spasmodic, and he gradually sank. The boat was tnen about lOOyards from him. The boat must have reached the spo ( t where deceased sank, within four mjnutea after he was washed over, and. deceased's hat was picked up well, within five miuute3. Inhere was' no fear m the mind of anyone that he would not be rescued until lie got into the eddy and began to sink. Did not know the man, but Baw that he was a good swimmer, and had no doubt that he would be rescued. It would have been suicidal to have jumped m to J save him. W, J. Tennent, secretary to the Harbour Board, stated that at the time of the accident he was at the end oi the wharf, about 30ft back. There was a rising sea, rapidily increasing. Jost before—as he reached the shore end of the wharf— he saw one of the parapet blocks washed o fl. The seas came over at m teryals. of about a minute, Borne much heavier than others. Was talking to Mr Hay and watching the seas, which were starting another block. Deceased passed them and walked straight to the end, a,nd stood at the rail, about 12ft from the end. Did not think of his danger at the moment. An extremely heavy sea, heavier than usual, came, and it shot over where the block had been displaced from ; a great body of water came over, and buried the end of the wharf. Had not j noticed where deceased was at the moment. Komeone called out, " Man , overboard!" he thought; and witness turned immediately and ran for a boat Mr Bradley got the alarm first and was remarkably expeditious m getting away His boat was at the steamer. When witness got back to the end of the wharf deceased had disappeared. His hat was picked up, he estimated, about 250 feet from tiie wharf, towards the entrance and the north wall. The buoy at the end of the wharf . was not thrown over, fc veryone.was looking foi the man until he was too far away; it wa'_> a matter of only a few feetbetween safety and danger : did not think of warning deceased. Deceased was m the employ ! of the Harbour Board, under Mt Stumbles. His particular duty xjesa slinging and placing blocks, with the crane He ought of all men to bavebeen acquainted with the danger. The Coroner: Was it part offeiftdnty to go and see what was going on at the end of the wharf?- He weab entirely of his own motion. I think it would be a reasonable thing for him to do to go down the wharf to see what was happening to the blocks. To Jurors : Deceased had been tallyIng cement at tl\e cement shed; he finished that, and went to the crane. The driver told him a block had just been washed off, and deceased went straight down the wharf to see it;— so the driver had told him. \ The Coroner : If that is so, he did go m the exercise of his duties. J. Hunter, employed on the dredge Timaru, stated that he went on the afternoon shiftonThursdayat 12 o'clock. Saw something floating m the water, about 2i chains from the wharf, towards tbie entrance, and half a chain from the breakwater. Was m a boat at the time, fastening Unee, and palled oat to the

object he saw, and found it to be the body of deceased. Constable Miller, who took charge of and searched the body, produced a £1 note, some silver, and pocket-knife found m the pockets ; and this concluded the evidence. The Coroner suggested that the evidence disclosed that the deceased was accidentally drowned. The foreman asked whether it would not be advisable to add to the verdict that deceased lost his life m the execution of his duty. The Coroner said it was not necessary. The question did not arise m this inquiry. Mr Barry said the principal witness said that deceased was doing his duty. It was agreed that the verdict should contain n statement to that effect, and the verdict was that the deceased was accidentally drowned In Timaru Harbour on May 13th whilst m the performance of his duties under the Timaru Harbour Board.