MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE. A Child Burned to Death. — The Mother also Badly Burned.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 161, 17 July 1886, Page 3

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE. A Child Burned to Death. — The Mother also Badly Burned.

.Auckland, July 13. A shocking case of burning, lesuldng in the death of a tine little fellow three yeais old, and in severe injuries to his mother through her efforts to save him, occurred yesterday afternoon in Albert Avenue iStoneyhurst, Mount Eden. ft peem? that at 1 o'clock Mrs Taylor, wife of William Henry Taylor, a cabinetmaker employed in Messrs Winks and Hall's establishment, having washed and dreesed her little son, Francia Henry, left him in the house along with an elder brother, aged five year*, and went out to the fowlhouse in the back yard in order to feed the fowls. The only fire in the house was contained in a small Ameiican cooking range. Mrs Taylor bad only been away some five or six minutes, when she was startled by childish screams proceeding from the house. Hushing out, she was horrified to see the younger child wrapped in flames, which seemed to have got a firm hold of his clothing. She ran to him, caught him up in her arms, encircled with tire as he was, carried him into tho house, and with feverish haste began to tear off his garments. A& he still continued to scream with agony, she wrapped him up in a blanket, and, running out of the house, called loudly for help. A neighbour named Mrs Fitne:9 at once came to her assistance, and a gentleman who chanced to be passing by at the time went off for a doctor. About half-an-hour later Dr. Lewis arrived, and did all he could for the child, but it had been so terribly burnt that medical skill was but of slight avail The little sufferer lingered in pain until 530 p.m., and then died. Infor rnation of tho case was given to Constable Dews by the lather, and that officer at once accompanied the bereaved parent to his residence. He found the deceased swathed in wadding saturated with oil. On examining the body, he perceived the dreadful I nurure ot the injurie?, the whole body from ankles to eyebrows appearing +o have been severely ecorched. The mother was i,n a very low state, and it was with difficulty that her statement Mas obtained. She had been ill for several days previously, and in her efforts to protect her child from the flames she had been badly burnt about both arms, while her dre^s was also burnt in several places The sad occurrence has completely upset her. An inquest, conducted by Dr. Philson, Coroner, is proceeding at the parents' residence this afternoon.

The Russian Government. have explained to the other Powers tbat Batoum, in the Black Sea, will remain a commercial port, with a military fort.