A CHILD'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 30, 4 February 1916, Page 4

A CHILD'S DEATH.

ACCIDENTALLY BOAT/PEP.

An inquest was held yesterday at Kaukapakapa, before Mr. E. ThurloW Field, J.P., Acting-Coroner, touching the death of a child, Gwendoline Otto, aged three years, from scalds caused by the capsizing of a bucket of hot water. From . the evidence led by Constable Driscoll, of Helensville, it appeared that the child was a daughter of Mr. Alfred Otto, recently a land agent at Auckland, who had gone into the dairying industry at Kaukapakapa. The father's evidence was that between 7 pan. and 8 pan., on Tuesday, he went into the kitchen of the house to get a bucket of hot "water to clean the milk separator. He put the bucket lull of water on the floor, and while he was attending to something - else the child toddled into the room and got between him and the bucket. Not knowing the child was there, Mr. Otto turned round to pick up tie bucket and knocked against the child, who fell down, and by the fall upset the bucket of scalding water over her arms, shoulders and hips. First aid was at once given, and Dr. Meinhold, of Helensville, was summoned and arrived at the farm within an hour, but despite all care the child died at 1 p.m. the following day. After hearing the doctor's evidence, the jury (Mr. E. Leach, foreman) returned a verdict that death was due to accidental scalding, followed by shock. The jury added a rider, expressing deep sympathy with the parents, who were ) new arrivals in the district.