DROWNING ACCIDENT AT TENGAWAI.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11702, 11 March 1902, Page 3

DROWNING ACCIDENT AT TENGAWAI.

THE INQUEST. The inquest on the body of Mrs Elizabeth Arbuthnot Jones was held at the Albury Hotel on Saturday, before Mr J. S. Rutherford, J.P., acting-Coroner and a jury of six—Messrs F. J. P. West (foreman), W. H." Batchelor, D. Couper, V. P. Feddan, John Harris, Francis Mallett.

Joseph Watts identified the body as that of Mrs Jones, of the monumental works, who had boarded in. his house in Timaru.

■ Rueben a boy about 12 .or 13, son of Harry Harris, Beach road; Timaru, said that deceased came to him on Wednesday morning, and asked him to go with her to drive her out. He did not know where. He went with her, they drove "by Pleasant Point, Cave and AJbury to Fairlie and back to Cricklewood on Thursday night, where they stayed at the house of Mr R. Wa.tts. On Friday morning 7th inst., they started to go to Macdonald's, Limestone Valley. When they reached the Te Ngawai at the Homestead Crossing, Mrs Jones thought she would not cross. They went back to a little house, but there was no one in. They went, down to the river again, and after hesitating a while deceased thought she would try to cross. She was driving. When half through the water was too strong and washed trap and pony up against the piles of the stock bridge. Harris climbed up on to the bridge. Deceased tried to follow; got half way up, and fell back into the river. . He saw her floating down the river; he could do nothing to help her, and ran to Mr Cowan's house. The body in the next room was that of Mrs Jones.

Andrew Cowan, sheep-farmer, Cricfclewood, said that Harris came to his house, 'and told him that Mrs Jones was drowned. He and some others went in search of the body, and found it about two miles below the bridge. " ; Constable Willoughby said that he found no marks' on the body. Evidently deceased met her death by drowning.

The.verdict was "accidentally drowned in the Te Ngawai River."-