TERRIBLE DEATH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 563, 21 June 1933, Page 5

TERRIBLE DEATH

FALL IN HOt POOL threfe-year-old child found fldatlng in water fatality at ngapuna Terrible scalds to face and body were sUstained' by .a tliTee-year-old child, Rich'ard Skipwith, as a r'esult of a fall into a hot pool near Ngapuna Pa yCsterday afternoon. The child appareritly" slipped into the pool while pla'ying iri it's vicinity with two qthe-r small children. When discovered the hody.was fiha'tirig face downwards in the water arid all signs of lif e were exfinct. 'At the time of the fatality both parents "were "abserit, the mother gathering vegetables 'arid the father at work at Whakarewarewa. The child was last seen h*y Mrs. Maniapoto, a rieighbour, whose own child was with the uriforturiate little. victim. When she noticed two of the children ~retrirnmg without the little boy, Mrs. Mariiapoto cailed out and asked if

they were all right. It was only then that she was iriformed that the. toddler had fa'lleri iri the hot pool. A young mari named Tukino Epapai'a who was nearby immediately rushed to tlie pool where he saw the body of the child floating in the water. Th'e body was badly scalded and although the child was immediately taken to King George V. Hospital by Rev. Maniuhara, nothirig could he dorie. The pool in which the tragedy occurred is n'ot 'large, but varies in temperature. Yesterday, unfortunately, it Avas very Kdt and is stated to have been almost a't bo'iling point when the child was reinoved. It is used hy the Maori women for washing clothes and orie edge was worn hare of grass by the tfaffic. It is presumed that tlve child slipped on this bare patch while pl'aying and fell into the water. The other two children were very young and did not realise what had happened as they gave no alarm. An inquest was opened? yesterday before the Coroner, Mr. W. L. Riehards, and after evidence of identifi-. cation had been taken, was adjourned sine die.