Untitled

Kumara Times, Issue 871, 16 July 1879, Page 4

In reference to the aceident at Westport by which a little girl lost her life, the times says An accident, resuming ip the death of a daughter of Mr and i}rs Leoni, aged five years, occurred on Sunday afternoon The manner in the accident occurred is thus related The little girl, Mary Leoni was running along the top of the Coal Straith’ bar don-hapd ryitb her sister, Harriet, when she tripped and fell through the aperture between the rails on the Straith to the river beneath, a distance of 30 feet. The scream of the children who were with her when she ijell, brough a number of people to the at ene of the accident, amongst the first being Mr Murdoch and Mr T. Williams, but although Mr Murdoch went into the water up to his armpits he could not save the child After a search, extending over a period of 8 or 10 minutes, the body was recovered by Captain Leech, and despite half-an-hour’s hard work on the part of Drs Thorpe and Henry, life could not be restored. This sad event should be a warning to parents not to allow their children to play on the Straiths, for if the practice is not checked more deaths will be the result. The Rev. Mr Hamilton, of Jesus College, Cambridge, has been appointed by Bishop Harper, to the incumbency of Hokitika.