D.—Ho. 46

Memorandum by Mr. G. S. Cooper. ConsideßvVßLE pains have been taken to make this return as complete as possible, but I regret to say that, from the imperfect state of the old records, it is still far from being an accurate statement of persons drowned in New Zealand rivers. The Eegistrar-General was first applied to, but that officer was unable to give any material assistance. The records of the Colonial Secretary's Department have been searched. Inquest proceedings have been obtained from the Supreme Court, and during the five years (1853-58) when the Coroners were under Provincial control, from the Provincial Governments. Upwards of 4,000 inquests recorded in the Colonial Secretary's Office have been examined. Information has been sought from the Provincial Police. Old files of newspapers have been searched for reports of deaths by drowning, which, from the bodies not having been recovered, had not been the subject of a Coroner's inquest. The Provincial Governments of Wellington, Taranaki, and Otago havo not yet replied to the application made to them; consequently this is apart return to the order of tho House. A further return will be made when replies are received from the Provinces named. Names of persons ascertained to have been drowned in harbours, wells, waterholes, swamps, and in the sea, have been excluded from this return. Cases of drowning in the Eiver Grey are sometimes stated to havo occurred in the Province of Nelson, and sometimes in the County of Westland. This is accounted for by the inquests being held indifferently on either side of the river, and the proceedings returned accordingly. Colonial Secretary's Office, G. S. Cooper, Wellington, Bth September, 1870. i Under Secretary. Analysis. Number of Persons Province— Drowned. Auckland .... ... ... ... ... ... ... 227 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 17 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40 Wellington" ... ... ... " ... ... ... ... IGS Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 102 Marlborough ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 48 Canterbury ... ... ... .. ... ... ... 135 Otago ... ... ... ... ( ... ... ... ... 170 Southland ~. ... ... ... ... ... ... 37 Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 174 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,115 Names of Persons Drowned in New Zealand from 1840 to 1870, showing the Data when, and and the Eiver or Stream and Province where Drowned. Note.—Tho dates which have an asterisk (*) placed before them indicate when the bodies were found. 1840. 1847. Sept. 17. Hopper, E. 8., Hutt, Wellington. Nov. 5. Baston, Henry ; river not stated ; Wellington. 1841. Dee. 8. Askew, John, Riwaka, Nelson. Jan. 14. Wellcr, John J.; river not stated ; Wellington. Dec. 25. Line, Benjamin ; river not stated ;at Wakefield, Mar. 27. Miller, James; river not stated; Wellington. Nelson. 1843. 1848. Jan. 28. Halbert, Frederick, Kororarika, Auckland. Mar. 7. Hutt, Joseph, Awamotu, Wellington. 1844. Mar. 9. Davis, Thomas, jun., Huatoki, Taranaki. Nov. Hippesby, ■ — ; river not stated ; Nelson. Dec. 8. Taylor, Henry Stephen j river not stated; at 1845. Porirua, Wellington. Feb. 2. Dixon, J., stream near Korori Eoad, Wellington. 1849. May 15. Tandy, Charles, Hutt, Wellington. Nov. —. Coward, Richard, Wairau, Marlborough. „ Friend, John, Hutt, Wellington. 1850. Sept. 3. Wiley, John, creek at Hutt, Wellington. Mar. 3. Connor, John; river nor stated ;at Appleby, 1846. Nelson. Feb. ■ —. Triggle, William Vaughan, Waimea, Nelson. Juno —. Davis, Thomas, Henui, Taranaki. May —. Morlcy, Henry C.; river not staled ; Nelson. Aug. 3. Rayner, Alfred Howell, Hutt, Wellington. 184 G. Aug. 7. Drummond, Donald, ferry at Wairarapa Lake, •July 26. Muat, Lewis, Akaroa, Canterbury. Wellington. 1847. „ Drummond, John, ferry at Wairarapa Lake, Jan. 19. Ibbetson,Mary J. S.; river not stated; Taranaki. Wellington. Mar. 10. Cooke, William, Okatu, Wellington. ~ A Native, not named, ferry at Wairarapa Lake, June 30. Richards, Robert, Wanganui, Wellington. Wellington. July —. Holmes, James ; river not stated ; Wellington. 1851. „ Adamson, John, Tamaki, Auckland. Jan. 12. Packer, Peter, gully near Howick, Auckland. Aug. 2. Crosswell, Jane, Maitai, Nelson. July —. Mickle, William, creek at Riwaka, Nelson.

RETURN OF NAMES OF PERSONS DROWNED IN NEW ZEALAND.