HBH 1892 September 17 ARMIT Thomas Inquest The inquest on the body of a man supposed to be Thomas ARMIT, late chief of the Vacuna, was held at the Shakespeare Hotel last evening before Mr F.SUTTON, J.P., and the following jury: - Messrs COGSWELL (foreman), FABLING, WILLIAMS, MUIR, STACK, and DOYLE. Claude COLHOUN, a small lad 10 years old, residing at the Spit, deposed yesterday that "he saw a dead man lying on a flat piece of concrete on the south side of the breakwater. The body had no head on and was nearly naked. He met another boy named John FRANKLIN, and told him what he had seen, and then showed him the body. He and FRANKLIN then told a man named TAYLOR who was working at the breakwater, and TAYLOR sent word to the police." Thomas TAYLOR a labourer, stated that after being shown the body by the two boys he told Mr MILLER, who communicated with the Sergeant of Police. Constable HARVEY deposed to finding the body, which was heedless, had both arms broken, and was otherwise much cut about. He knew Thomas ARMIT, late chief mate of the Vacuna, who had shown him certain tattoo marks on his arms, and he felt no doubt that the body found was that of ARMIT. It was believed that ARMIT had deserted from the Vacuna. ARMIT had told witness that the "captain was a very hard man top get on with." The body seemed to have been in the water about two or three weeks and did not know of any rows having taken place. Michael WIIG, sail maker, residing at NAPIER,, testified that he knew a man named Thomas ARMIT, and he and ARMIT had sailed together in the Pendle Hill for three or four months and "he knew that ARMIT had a tattoo mark on the inside of his right arm. The mark was the English navy flag, with a red cross, and the stars and stripes. ARMIT was a man of about 5 feet 8 inches in height, and as far as witness knew a temperate man. When he was working with ARMIT on the Pendle Hill the latter had a go ashore suit dark in color and similar to the remains of trousers found on the body. ARMIT also wore elastic-side boots when going ashore." He had seen the body found that day, and "to the best of his belief it was that of Thomas ARMIT." Hrry MASON, seaman, late of the Vacuna, also gave evidence identifying the body from the marks upon it and from the remains of the clothes found upon it as Thomas ARMIT. MASON "last saw ARMIT alive on the Vacuna on Sunday morning, August 28th, at about 8 o'clock." Mary MILLER, who had washed clothes for Thomas ARMIT, said that the "socks and trousers produced were similar to those she had washed." Harry BROWN, seaman, residing at the Spit, also testified and stated that ARMIT was quite sober when he last saw him and he could not identify the body found. The jury returned a verdict that "they believed the body to be that of Thomas ARMIT, and that he had met his death by drowning, but whether accidental or otherwise, or when death occurred, there was no evidence to show, and the jury could not determine."