A CHILD'S DEATH.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19915, 30 April 1930, Page 8

A CHILD'S DEATH.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. (FMSS ASSOCIATIOK TKLEGBAM.) AUCKLAND, April 29. A finding of accidental death was re' turned by the Coroner, Mr F. K. Hunt, this morning at the inquest into the death of Norma Constance Wilson, who died at the Auckland Hospital.yesterday afternoon as a result of her clothing catching fire. Evidence was given by the father of the child, Wilfred Herbert Wilson, fish ; ''.' curer, of Grey Lynn, that when he left ' home early yesterday morning hia i daughter, aged 4i years, was in an up- '■' stairs room at the home of his parents, ' occupied by himself and child. He blew out the candle which he had carried down to breakfast at 4.45 a.m. 1 and took the matches off the dressing '> table. So far as he was aware there | were no other matches in the room. Later in the morning he saw hjs daugh- ' ter at the Hospital, and he asked her what had happened. She was conscious and said "L lit the candle." Wit--1 ness said his step-brother occupied the room adjoining his and it was. likely 1 to him that the child went there and secured some matches. ■ Mary Ann Houseman, grandmother of w ' the child, said that when she was'dress* ' ing at 7.15 a.m. yesterday she heard screams. She rushed upstairs to investi- ; gate and saw Norma at the top of the ' stairs with her nightgown on fire. With ; the aid of her husband she wrapped the child in a blanket to extinguish the' : flames and had her removed to hos--1 pital. It would appear that when " Norma woke up she lighted the candle and took it into bed with her as wit- > ness found the bed on fire and the: T candle sitting in the centre of it alight. 1 A doctor said the child was admitted » to the Hospital at 7715 a.m. yesterday ■ and died at 1 p.m. from shock follow- ' ing burns to the face, chest, abdomen, j ' back, arms, and legs. j =—=■ '".I