New Telephone Exchange Helps To Save Child

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 14

New Telephone Exchange Helps To Save Child

Prompt police response to a call for help, plus the fact that Governors Bay acquired an automatic telephone 'exchange only last week, possibly saved a 15-month-old child's life yesterday. The child, Angela Mary Small, daughter of Mr and Mrs F. A. Small, of Governors Bay, crawled into the bathroom at her home and found a tin of kerosene on the floor containing a kerosenesaturated rag. It is not certain whether the child sucked the rag In the kerosene tin or was simply overcome by the fumes. It is thought she may have sucked the rag, because

she liked to suck her bath flannel.

Angela’s parents called their doctor when they saw how she had been affected by the kerosene and he urged them to take her to hospital. Their neighbour, Miss N. Campbell, who is a St. John Ambulance nurse, took them in her car.

Before they left. Mr Small telephoned the police and asked for a police escort. If the accident had happened a few weeks ago he might not have got through to Christchurch by telephone so quickly. He was on a 10-party line until last week.

The police patrol car met the party at the top of Dyers Pass road and. with Mr Small and his daughter in the back, raced to the hospital. The child was treated tn the casualty department and admitted to a ward for observation. Last evening the hospital reported that she had settled down very happily and her condition was now quite satisfactory.

30 Hours In Cave Three young men climbed out wet and cold Into the warm sunshine today after spending 30 hours in the deepest cave in the North Island near Te Kuiti. They slept on the floor of the cavern above a stream which runs 330 feet below the surface. The three men, Messrs W. Greenwood, R. English and D. Smythe, all aged 20, were part of a New Zealand Speleological Society expedition training trip. Early In the New Year the 12-man expedition hopes to better the 1215 ft reached tn IMO at Harwoods Hole, Nelson.—(P.A.)