The Whangamata Fatality

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1489, 23 November 1905, Page 2

The Whangamata Fatality

Coroner's Inquest The inquiry into tho oiroumatftncoß which |ed to the death of William McOorqvodale at Whangamatl was resumed at the hospital. (bis afternoon before Mr Max D.' King, District Oorotior, and tho following jars': J. Hollowtty(foremao), A. Steele, Hi L, jonoj,' W.'Widdoll andH. Lowe. William Niebol, who was along with 'the deceased, • MoGor(|(ioda!o, when tho accident ocourred, 'and who was seriously burned, javo evidence, Nichol, who is still littering from the effects of the boms, was wheeled in a ehiir into the room. He related the incident of the horning of the . beniiine on the water, and , how thi) boat ihey were in was enveloped ia flames. He and deceased had had two or three drinks that evening. They were boih perfectly sober when they left the house t.o set alight to the bonz'ne. Ho had purohaeed a bottle of whisky inboard the steamorhad obtained it from one of tho stewafds. It was the first lime ho had bought a bottle of whisky on a steamor Id tho Whangimatft port. The inoidont was purely accidental. Ho had on a pluvious occasion burned benzine on the water, :Dr Slater deposed that deceased bad been admitted to the Wuihi Hospital on ibo Bih in<t. He w«e very oxtooeivoly burned, Tho burnswere apparently about a day old. Tho hair was burnt off. On the forehead the fliin was so muoh dam> used that it sloughed away." The features woro unrecognisable. The left arm was also deeply burned. The usual remedies wero applied, but it soon became evident that d ceased could not livo, and bo died on iho 14th. Peath was due to tho effects of tboburas, _ The veriiiot was that the deceased, William McODrquodale', coire. by bis death iceldentally.