FALL OVER CLIFF
Tragedy overtook a week-end holiday party on Sunday when Thomas Stinson, a married man who resided at 198 Bay View road, fell over a 250ft cliff at the high point of the sea end of the Karitane Peninsula, and was instantaneously killed. The deceased, a middle-aged man, was a storeman employed by the National Mortgage and Agency Company. Ltd., and had travelled to Karitane earlier in the day accompanied by his wife and some friends. He was walking along the edge of the cliff with two of his companions when he was seen suddenly to slip over the edge and fall on to the rocks below. It was impossible for the others to climb down the face of the cliff to his rescue, and a launch was secured to recover the body. -Otago Witness, 17/3/1931.
FALL FROM CLIFF
FATALITY AT KARITANE
A tragic fall from a cliff at Karitane yesterday afternoon resulted in the death of a Dunedin resident named Thomas Stinson, a married man, aged forty-five years, who resided at 193 Bay View road. The deceased, who was employed by the National Mortgage and Agency Company Ltd., had travelled to Karitane earlier in the day and was accompanied by his wife and some friends. With two of his companions he wont for a walk in the afternoon along to the high point of the Karitane Peninsula, and while the party was going along close to the edge of a 250ft cliff the deceased was seen to slip suddenly and fall over on to the rocks below. He was killed instantaneously. It was impossible for the others to negotiate the cliff face and go to his assistance, and the body had to be recovered by means of a launch.
THE INQUEST
A verdict of “accidentally killed” was given by the coroner (Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) at the inquest this afternoon. Evidence of identification was given by James Stinson, residing at 17 Queen’s drive. He said his brother had no domestic worries of any kind, and ho was not subject to fits or fainting turns. For years past his brother had been in the habit of going away practically every week-end on sea fishing expeditions, and witness would say that he had known well every beach within an eighty-mile radius of Dunedin.
Dr Walden Fitzgerald said he was called to the landing stage at Karitane, and examined the body when it was brought ashore by a fishing boat. In his opinion the cause of death was compound fracture of the skull, with gross laceration of the brain, and the injuries received would be consistent with a fall over a high cliff on to rocks.
Samuel Cowie, a land and estate agent, residing at 41, Onslow street, said Stinson was in a party which visited Karitane. About 1 o’clock, deceased, Samuel Gould, and witness went fishing. At 2.30 they had caught no fish, so they decided to go to the rocks, further south. Following one another, they walked along a track. Deceased brought up the rear, he thought. Witness heard Gould call out, and, on turning round, he saw Stinson rolling down the cliff. The track ran along the edge of the cliff. Witness was about 20yds ahead of Stinson. Owing to the steepness of the cliff, Gould and he were unable to reach the place where Stinson had fallen. They could not see him, either. They returned to Karitane, and arranged for a launch to go to Stinson’s assistance. “I am unable to account for Stinson slipping off the track, as it was neither wet nor slippery, although it was very narrow,” said Mr Cowie. “Deceased was carrying a fishing bag and rod, and appeared to be in good spirits. Where deceased fell the height of the cliff would be about 200 ft. None of the party had had any intoxicating liquor that day.”
Samuel Lamprey Gould, a law clerk, residing at 115 Bay View road, corroborated Mr Gowie’s evidence, with the exception that deceased was between him and the first witness. In his opinion deceased trod on a piece of clay bank which gave way, and he lost his footing. There was nothing for deceased to grip or hold. The clay on the bank was crumbling on account of the dry weather. This was the first occasion witness had been over this track, known as the “Razor Back.” They were all walking carefully, and were not hurrying. Deceased had changed into second position in the file 100yds before reaching the scene of the accident.
”I know the locality where the accident occurred; it is a narrow track, and one must walk carefully on it at any time,” said Mr Bundle. The exact cause of deceased’s falling could not be ascertained. Apparently he slipped when he trod on loose clay or a pebble. A verdict of accidental death in accordance with the medical evidence was returned, the coroner remarking that the accident was a distressing one. Sympathy would be offered to the widow and family. The man followed a harmless occupation, and he had met his death when out on a holiday. -Evening Star, 16/3/1931.
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