SAD OCCURRENCE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1807, 25 October 1888, Page 2

SAD OCCURRENCE.

LOSS AND DEATH OF A LITTLE ®IRL. An exceedingly painful occurrence, and one that has cast quite a gloom '>rer the district, happened in the G-eraldine district on Tuesday last. Mrs H. Coulter, of South Bangitata, vaa, with her family, staying on a visit at the homestead of her father, Mr William Ashby, who lives some distance up the Orari river. Among Mrs Coulter’s children : was a bright winsome little girl of just two years of ige. On Tuesday morning, about 0 a.m., this little one was playing with a young son of Mr Ashby's, about seven years of age, near the stockyard, a short distance from the house, and within sight of the family, who were ’ moving about at their ordinary occupations. The boy went into an outhouse, and shortly afterwards was called and asked if the child 1 was with him. Eesponding in the negative, a search was made, but the child had disappeared. An alarm: was im- ‘ mediately given, and within ton minutes from the time the child was last seen, some seven or eight persons were engaged searching for it. A small creek runs through the property about a quarter of a mile from bouse, aud, of course, the attention of everyone turned to this* Mr Ashby had this thoroughly examined, and not finding the child, rode off to Geraldine to acquaint the police of the occurrence, and to send a message to Mr Coulter, leaving the others to continue the search. By the time Mr Ashby returned with Constable Willoughby the neighbors had been thoroughly aroused, and some fourteen horsemen, with several others on foot, searched every nook and corner about the house, i! yard, and farm where it was possible for a child to be concealed, but without success. To make matters worse rain began to fall and continued to do so throughout the night. ■- The search however was kept up till two a.m., and again taken up as soon as daylight appeared.. During the forenoon of yesterday the first trace of the wanderer was found, a bunch of flowers the child had been wearing being picked up on the road;, . leading towards the Orari Gorge. By this time the district had been scoured for some distance round by horsemen, and some twenty men were riding across the tussocks, a short distance apart, so that nothing could escape them. About noon Mr H/Sowerby, / (me of the party, came across the body ; of the unfortunate child lying stiff and cold on the wet tussock. The spot where the body ; was found was on a high terrace near what is known as Tripp’s Catting, and about ‘ four miles from the spot where the ~ child was first missed. It had evidently strayed on till thoroughly exhausted by hunger and fatigue, and had then lain down.and succumbed to the inclemency of the weather. : How the ! child managed to get away so far when so many were searching for it is a mystery. Yery much sympathy is felt for the bereaved' parents and friends in their painful loss. An inquest takes place to day, and the ' funeral on Friday at i p.m... ■/- ' ■