A SIGNALMAN’S DEATH
AT TAIAROA HEAD.
FOUND AT BOTTOM OF CLIFF.
It was reported to the police yesterday afternoon that Robert Wilson, assistant signalman at Taiaroa Head, was missing, and although a search party was immediately organised and sent out to scour the beach and country, no trace of the missing man could be found.
Just as we go to press the Superintendent of Police has been advised that the search party under Constable Hodgson, of Portobello, discovered the body this afternoon lying at the foot of a cliff close to the lighthouse. The body was fearfully mangled.
The circumstances surrounding the death are as yet unknown, but will be investigated at an inquest to be held at Port Chalmers to-morrow by the acting coroner (Mr H. Y. Widdowson. S.M.). Deceased was a married man, 40 years of age, and had several children. -Evening Star, 14/5/1915.
SIGNALMAN’S TRAGIC DEATH
The body of Robert Wilson, assistant signalman at Taiaroa Heads, was found lying at the foot of the cliff near the lighthouse on Friday afternoon in a fearfully mangled condition. So far as can be learned the deceased was missing on Thursday afternoon, and the police were informed, but although a search party was immediately organised to scour the vicinity, no trace of Wilson could be found until Friday afternoon, when his remains were found as stated above. The deceased was a married man about 40 years of age, and had been employed at the Heads for about 11 years.
INQUEST AT PORT CHALMERS
Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., held an inquest at Port Chalmers on Saturday afternoon. Mr Stephens watched the proceedings on behalf of the Harbour Board.
Charles Noble Trainer, lighthouse keeper at Taiaroa Heads, said he knew the deceased, who was a signalman for the Otago Harbour Board. Deceased lived with his wife and family at the Heads. Witness last saw deceased alive about 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday, outside his own house. The next time he saw him he was lying at the foot of a cliff below the lighthouse on Friday. He was then quite dead, and was lying face downwards, below high-water mark, just in the break of the waves. The cliff had a sheer drop of over 150ft at the spot where the body was found, and deceased had apparently lain there from the time he fell. Witness frequently conversed with deceased, but did not notice anything peculiar in his manner. In fact, he seemed quite normal in his mind.
To Mr Stephens: There was a track leading from the lighthouse to the signal gun platform, and beyond that there was a protective fence with two gaps, through which the men often went down to fish off the rocks. The track was a dangerous one to negotiate at any time, and it appeared to witness that deceased was in the act of going down this track and missed his footing, his body being found at a spot which suggested that deceased had slipped and fallen over the cliff near a gap in the fence leading down to the rocks below. Witness was strongly of opinion that the stout picket fence, with a gate leading to the cliff track, should be erected by the Government without delay, in order to safeguard the lives of those living in the vicinity.
Dr Borrie stated that he had attended the deceased, who suffered from muscular rheumatism and petit mal, the latter causing choking sensations on two occasions. He saw hin on Wednesday, when he seemed to be in good health, and quite rational.
James Harwood Wilson, a brother of the deceased, stated that he had been building houses at the Heads for two months, and during that time he resided with the deceased, whom he last saw alive about 7 a.m. on Thursday, when he appeared to be quite well. The deceased suffered from muscular rheumatism of which he complained at times; but there were no signs of depression in his manner.
To Sergeant Dougan: Witness know of nothing to suggest that the deceased intended to commit suicide. In witness's opinion, the fence referred to did not afford proper protection.
Hannah Wilson, wife of the deceased, said the latter had resided at the Heads for over 13 years. He complained at times of a sore throat and rheumatic pains. Twice he complained of giddiness, the last occasion being a few days before the accident. He went on duty at 5 p.m. on Wednesday until midnight, when he returned home and went to bed. He got up about 6.30 a.m. on Thursday and, after having breakfast, went on duty about 8.15 a.m. He returned home about 930 a.m., and remained about the house until 11.15 a.m., when he went out, and did not return. Witness never noticed anything wrong with her husband mentally, but latterly he had eaten very little. Otherwise he was always punctual in his habits. He was a loving father and husband.
Further evidence regarding deceased's duties was given by Kenneth McDonald, chief signalman at the Heads, who stated that deceased relieved him from 8 a.m. till 9 a.m. on Thursday for breakfast, and should have come on again from 12 o’clock till 1 pm. Witness last saw him a few minutes after 9 a.m. on Thursday, when he seemed to be in his usual state of mind. He always performed his duties very satisfactorily, and never complained to witness about his health.
In reply to a question by the coroner, witness said the track down the cliff was formed a few years ago by the Defence Department, and it had nothing whatever to do with the lighthouse. The track led to a lookout signal box erected about 20ft above the water level by the Defence Department, and was about 3ft wide in places. The fence along the track comprised a couple of wires placed on standards, and was quite inadequate to ensure safety.
To Mr Stephens: The Harbour Board had nothing whatever to do with this track or the signal box.
Captain Thomson, harbour master, said it was extremely difficult to keep one’s feet when negotiating the cliff track under ordinary circumstances, and it was the usual practice for those using it to step a little to one side, in order to got a better view of the coastline, in which case there was nothing to prevent anyone from falling over.
This completed the evidence, and the Coroner returned a verdict that “Deceased died from injuries received through falling over a cliff at Taiaroa Heads on the 13th inst." -Otago Witness, 19/5/1915.
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