ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS
FALL FROM VIADUCT.
The body of a soldier who had been in a local camp was found this morning lying in a stream under a railway viaduct between Abbotsford and Wingatui. The deceased was Private James Alfred Porter, a married man, whose home was in Kakanui. It is presumed that he was walking across the viaduct when lie fell over the side and into the stream, which is some distance below. Private Porter had been missing from camp for a day or two. The body was brought to the morgue to-day. and the police will hold an inquest. -Evening Star, 11/3/1943.
GORE NEWS
ACCIDENTALLY DROWNED.— Mr James Alfred Porter, who was accidentally drowned at Wingatui, was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs A. Porter, Duke street, Gore. He was born in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and came to New Zealand at the age of two years. He received his education at the Gore public school and Gore High School. He joined the New Zealand Railways as a cleaner and was later employed in a butcher’s shop at Oamaru. He was subsequently employed on a farm at Waikaia. At the time of his death he was in a southern military camp. He is survived by his wife and one son. -Southland Times, 13/3/1943.
SOLDIER'S DEATH
FALL FROM RAILWAY BRIDGE
INQUEST PROCEEDINGS
The adjourned inquest into the death of Private James Alfred Porter, aged 41, a married man, of Kakanui, was concluded this morning before Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M. Deceased's body was found in 6ft of water 40ft beneath a railway bridge near Abbotsford on March 11, death being presumed to have taken place on March 6. At this morning's proceedings Sergeant Devlin represented the police, and Mr E. A. Duncan appeared on behalf of the widow, on instructions from Hislop, Creagh, and Main, Oamaru.
Dr William James Porteous said that deceased's injuries were consistent with his having fallen head foremost from a height and striking his head on an iron girder on similar object. Death would be from shock and laceration of the brain, and would be practically instantaneous.
Captain Ivan Paterson, officer in charge of deceased's camp, stated that deceased had left camp on the evening of March 5, with leave up till midnight. He did not return, and was posted A.W.O.L. Investigations had been made, but no trace of the deceased found up to March 11, when witness reported him to the police as missing. Witness also had a search party sent out from the camp. There was a possibility that deceased, having missed the last train, would take a taxi as far as he could, which would be to Green Island or Abbotsford, and then walk along the railway line. Witness instituted the search in case deceased had done this and had met with an accident on the way.
Private Edwin Tudor Peattie said he was a hut mate of the deceased's. Deceased was a total abstainer. He had no enemies in the camp, and was not the type of man to take his own life.
Douglas Colvin Gorinski, taxi driver, at 11.40 p.m. on March 5 he had been engaged to take a soldier to Abbotsford. He felt certain that the deceased, who had been described to him, was that soldier. The soldier told him that he had to be in camp that night or he would be fined. He had not walked along the railway line before. Witness smelt no liquor on the soldier, who was sober. The night was very dark. Witness last saw the soldier walking in a southerly direction along the line.
A resident of Abbotsford, Andrew Bain, detailed how he found a soldier's felt peak hat floating on the stream at 7.45 a.m. on March 6. It had a railway ticket, dated March 5, in the puggaree, and that had been used into Dunedin only. When he read of the soldier's body being discovered he informed the police of his find.
Second-lieutenant Leslie Henry Willis, who was in charge of the military search party, and Sergeant Alexander Charles Smith, a member of the party, detailed the search which led to the eventual finding of the body in 6ft of swampy water.
Constable Adams, of Mosgiel, described the construction of the bridge, and stated that there was an open space of 6ft between the two tracks which crossed it. In the dark anyone could easily walk into this space and plunge into the water without the remotest chance of recovering his balance. Deceased had not long been in the camp, and was not likely to be familiar with the construction of the bridge.
It was easy to see what had happened, said the Coroner. The deceased, having missed his train, took a taxi to Abbotsford and decided to walk along the railway track. He had come to the bridge, fallen through, and struck his head. Death was due to injuries received as a result of falling from a railway bridge. -Evening Star, 25/3/1943.
In Memoriam
PORTER. — In loving memory of James Alfred Porter, accidentally killed at Wingatui on March 6, 1943.
Not just to-day, but every day, In silence we remember.
— Inserted by his loving wife and son, Jim. -Otago Daily Times, 6/3/1944.
Oamaru Cemetery.
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