Mount Ida Chronicle, 9 January 1925

DROWNING

An inquest in connection with the death of Joseph Allen was held in the Courthouse, Naseby, on 3rd inst. Mr R.F. Inder, J.P., was Acting Coroner, and the jury was composed of Messrs W. Strong (foreman), D. Inder, G. Graham, C. Dixon, Jas Paisley and E.W. Newman.

William David Hore, farmer, deposed that on the 26th December, he, in company with the deceased, returned from the Waipiata sports about 7.30 p.m. They attempted to cross the Kyeburn River near witness's residence. It was very high. When within a few yards from the further bank they were carried down the stream three or four chains. The cart tipped up, the deceased was thrown out and he did not see him again. Witness retained hold of the reins and was carried down a considerable distance, when he got hold of a matagouri bush and scrambled out. Deceased was quite sober. They crossed at what was known as Harris's crossing, which was always considered a safe one. He viewed the body then lying at the morgue and identified it as that of Joseph Allan, by the clothing and marks on the boots. He had known Allan for a number of years. He did not see him after he was thrown out, and if he did it was impossible to do anything. He immediately reported the accident to the police at Naseby. He assisted in the search for the body on the day after the accident.

To the Foreman: The cart did not capsize; it tipped up on its side.

Alexander Pearson deposed that since the accident on the 26th December he kept a look out for the body. He lived on the bank of the Kyeburn River. In the afternoon of the 2nd January he was on the bank of the river. He had been up to Mr W. Hore's residence and when returning he saw the heels of two boots showing up, and on making further search found the body almost buried in silt. That was about 4 p.m. He at once reported the discovery to the police. The body was between two and a half and three miles below Harris's farm - the scene of the accident.

Denis Vaughan deposed that he was a police constable stationed at Naseby. About 11 p.m. on the 26th December he received word that an accident had happened in the Kyeburn River and that a man named Joseph Allan was drowned. The following morning he brought a search party to the river and assisted in the search for the body. They searched both sides for a number of miles but found no trace of deceased. The river was still in high flood. On the 30th December when the river had gone down again, assisted by a number of persons, made a further search, but without result. About 5.30 p.m. on 2nd January he received a wire from Alexander Pearson that he had found the body. He immediately went down accompanied by C. Hore, J. Paisley and W. Templeton. The body was covered with silt, only the heels of the boots being visible. It was in a very decomposed condition. He removed it to the morgue at Naseby. He was speaking to W. Hore on the 26th December, at Waipiata, shortly before he left to go home, and he was then quite sober.

To the Foreman: The body was found on the east side of the river, about five chains away from the present centre of one of the streams. On the 27th December where the body was discovered was then apparently the centre of the stream.

W.D. Hore recalled: I believe the deceased to be 70 years of age. He has a sister, Mrs Hastie, in Wellington, and also another sister in the North Island. The deceased was a labourer and had been in the district for a number of years.

The verdict returned was: That the deceased Joseph Allan met his death by accidental drowning whilst attempting to cross the Kyeburn River, which was in high flood, in a gig driven by W.D. Hore, about 7.30 p.m. on Friday, 26 December, 1924; no blame being attached to anyone.