Witness Fails To Attend Inquest On Maori Child

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1942, Page 5

Witness Fails To Attend Inquest On Maori Child

Because a witness required to give evidence of identification did not appear a further adjournment was granted by Mr. A. Grant, justice of the peace, in an inquest into the death of Marlene Davis, a Maori child aged 17 months, which was resumed at Hawera yesterday. After hearing the evidence of the mother of the child Mr. Grant gave instructions that steps should be taken to ensure the appearance of the witness on Monday , morning. _ . . The home of William Auroa Road, Otakeho, was visited on July 14 by Mirika Wehipeihana, district nurse employed by the Health Department. On examination of a child that was being nursed by the mother, the nurse found the child was suffering from pneumonia and advised treatment. She was informed that the child was receiving treatment administered by the mother. She told the parents she considered the child was seriously ill, and that a doctor should see her. Violet Ngatai Davis, mother of the child, said that while attending a tangi for her father, Rangi Ngatai, on July 8 she noticed that Marlene had a cough. They returned home on July 10 and Marlene was put to bed with a hot-water bottle. She appeared to get better, but she was kept in bed. She was not feverish when she arrived home, but afterwards she became so. She thought it was only a heavy cold. She was told on July 9 by Mrs. Temarama Patara, Bailey Road, Pungarehu, that Marlene had pneumonia, continued Mrs. Davis. It was after this that the child was taken home and put to bed. As she appeared to be better she did not think it necessary to call a doctor. "The district nurse, Nurse Wehipeihana, called at our home on the evening of July 14, and she told me that if the child did not improve I was to ring for a doctor the next morning," continued Mrs. Davis. Because the chiid seemed to be better she did not call a doctor. She was giving the child a treatment when the district nurse called. It involved the placing of a hot-water bottle near the back and cold packs on the chest. After this the child was rubbed all over with warm oil, and cotton wool was placed on the chest and back and loosely bandaged. She continued the treatment until the night before she died. No one told her to give this particular treat-' ment. Last year she gave the same treatment to her other child and she recovered. "The other witness has not come because he said he had no money for the bus fare," said Senior-Sergeant J. Edwards. "He said he would like to come, but he was very sorry he had no money," said Mrs. Davis. Mr. Grant: You tell him that he has got to be here on Monday morning.