INQUEST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5310, 15 July 1895, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest touching the death of Abraham King was held at the Commercial Hotel, West Oxford, on Friday, before Mr J. Ingram, acting coroner, and a jury of whom Mr A. C. Prichard was chosen foreman. The jury and witnesses having viewed the body, the wife of the deceased deposed that he left his home on Tuesday evening, June 25, withdut assigning any reason. He appeared to be in hits usual health and spirits. Elizabeth Cockburn deposed to seeing the deceased going toward the river on the morning of Saturday, June 29. The river was in flood, and the approach to the ford was in a dangerous state. He appeared to be quite sober. C. M. Lugar, district ranger, deposed to finding the body in the river. He was assisted by Mr A. Cockburn in the search, which he undertook owing to information received from the constable. He fonnd the body on Thursday, at about 3 p.m., and immediately reported to the police. Constable Leahy gave evidence as to the finding of the body. The deceased's watch and stick were picked up near by. There were no marks of violence on the body. It was fully dressed, only the hat being missing* The Coroner, in summing up, saidP that the evidence adduced had traced deceased from his home to the place where the body was found. The evidence showed that deceased had a decided aversion to his own home, bub why was not the object of the present inquiry. What the jury had to decide wbb how the deceased came by his death. The jury, after a short consultation, brought in a verdict of " Found drowned," adding a rider that the attention of the Koad Board should be called to the unsafe condition of the footbridge.

Ib is claimed that there are fifty-five dogs in the United Kingdom to every thousand inhabitants. Lithographing was discovered by a poor poet named Senefelder, who had written a drama and determined that it should see the light. The publishers would not print it. .He determined to print it himself. He had no type. He resolved that engraving would answer, but had no copper and waß too poor to buy any. He concluded to use stone, and after many failures finally made a brillant success and large fortune through his invention. The report of the English. Meteorological Council for 1893-4, claims for the Forecast Department an average "success" of fully 82 per cent on the predictions which are sent out each day at B*Bo p.m. " Total failure" occurred in only 5 per cent of the forecasts, and "partial failure "in 11 per cent. " Complete Buccess" attended nearly 60 par cent of the prophecies, and in 25 peT cent mote there was a " partial success," amounting to correctness in more than onehalf of the areas covered by the forecast.