DISTRESSING FATALITY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 638, 16 September 1933, Page 6

DISTRESSING FATALITY

child drowned FELL INTO WELL YESTERDAY AT OWHATA POINT PROMPT EFFORT TO RESCUE [ A distressing fatality occurred yesterday morning at Owhata Point, about four miles from Rotorua in the vicinity of Te Ngae, when a Maori child, Toi Woods, aged two and a-half years, was drowned in a well. The child was the daughter of Hiria Woods and had been living in the care of Mrs. N. Galvin at Owhata. The first indication received of the unfortunate happening was when Mata Galvin, a daughter of Mrs. Galvin, missed the child at about 8 a.m. and ultimately discovered ' its body fioating at the bottom of a well a short distance from the house. The well was about 10 feet deep and eontained between three and four feet of water. Mata Galvin immediately called her brother, Dave Galvin, who was living nearby. He at once rushed to the well and jumped, in, bringing the child's body to the top with considerable difficulty. Artificial respiration was tried but the child ttu found to be dead. Inquest Held Later in the morning an inquest into the circumstances of the child's death was opened at Owhata by the Coroner, Mr. W. L. Richards. Mata Galvin said that the child had been adopted by her mother with whom it lived. At about 8 a.m. she had missed the child and had gone to look for it, eventually discovering the body fioating in the well. She had called her brother, who came and immediately jumped into the well and brought the deceased to the top. The body had slight bruises on the forehead. The top of the well was covered and a small lid placed in the centre. She had heard no screams. It was probable that the wind had displaced the lid. Dave William Galvin gave evidence of having been called by his sister and of jumping into the well and bringing the child's body to the top. Although he tried respiration methods he found that the child was dead and he notified the police. In returning a verdict of accidental drowning, the coroner, commenting upon the action of Mr D. Galvin in endeavouring to eff ect rescue said : "Had the whereabouts of the child been known sooner, I feel sure that the courageous action of Mr. Galvin would have been rewarded by saving the child's life. When the news was received without hesitation and with wonderful prompitude, he jumped into the well, seized the child and with great difficulty brought her to the surface, but unfortunately too late to successfully apply artificial respiration. It was undoubtedly a most gallant action and one deserving of the highest commendation."