DROWNING FATALITY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2734, 12 February 1910, Page 3

DROWNING FATALITY.

THE IXQUEST

An inquest into the death of Harold Gibbins was held at the Coroner’s Court yesterday morning, before Air F. AY. Riach, J.P., acting-Coroner, and a jury consisting of Messrs John Brooking (foreman), Albert Read, Win. Williams'! Robert Hargreaves, John Ferris and James iStuart.

After the body had been viewed in the morgue George Gibbins, eldest brother of the deceased, stated that the boy had been staying with him. Deceased was 15 years old iiv September last. AA’itness saw him last at 5 minutes past 7 on the morning of the fatality. He was not in employment. The body in ,tlie morgue was that of his brother.

Sidney Hind, one of the boys who went swimming with the deceased, gave evidence that he and another boy met Gibbins and they went to Harris’ Bend. AA’itness went into the water first, then came out and suggested they should go over to the other side and get in the sun. They set out and when witness was nearly across he heard shouts behind and saw that the deceased was in difficulties. He swam to him and after he had disappeared once managed to get hold of him. witness caught deceased by the hair, but oound nf:t field hint and he sunk. Others came on the scone then, but they could not find thy body. Frank Baiinutyne, the other lad who was with the deceased bathing, gave

•corroborative evidence. In witness’s opinion deceased could swim a little. Constable Dwyer stated that he found the body of the deceased at 5.30 on Thursday afternoon in the AVaimatariver, in about 18 feet of water. Life was then extinct. The jury returned a verdict that deceased was accidentally drowned while bathing m the Waimata River, on the 10th hist.