FATAL ACCIDENT AT OTAKI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 94, 20 July 1880, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT AT OTAKI.

(paosi otJB own correspondent). A fatal accident happened at Otaki on Thursday last, by which a child, only son of Mr Wm. Gilchrist, a carrier, of Otaki, met hig death. An inquesl was held at the house of the father, on Friday last, before Dr Hewson, Conner, when the fob lowing jury were inpannellcd, viz., Mess™ C Mitchell iforeman), F. Bright, A. Small, P. Anderson, J. Harper, W. Dodds, W. Greenouj'h, T. M'Lennen, T. Rawlinson, T. Bills, F. Hills, and A. Carmont. The evidence adduced went to show that about II am on Thursday last, Lucy Gilchrist (mother of deceased) was working at tin back of her house, and the child wat< playing about near her ; the mother entered the house for a few minutes, and oq coming on tuide missed the child ; she concluded he was playing near a pigstye, which wo* round the comer of tho house, and wlme he was frequently in the habit of amusing himself. On looking there, however, shicould not find him, but on going iv the opposite direction found his body in a pond where the horse 3 were usually watored, lying downwards. Of course he was dead. The pond was only about a quarter of a chain distant from the house. The child's footprints indicated that he had passed underneath a set of slip-panels into a paddock, and had walked towards the water where ho was drowned. A verdict in accordance with the above facts was returned.