CHILD DEATHS ON FARMS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29818, 10 May 1962, Page 23

CHILD DEATHS ON FARMS

Call For Greater Care

Farmers must train themselves to see farm hazards through the eyes of children, and to realise that many little things that might not hurt them could injure and kill youngsters. Mr G. V. Williams, a field officer with the Canterbury branch of the National Safety Association of New Zealand, said this when he addressed Young Farmers’ safety officers attending a farm-safety course at Lincoln College. Nineteen children were killed in accidents on New Zealand farms last year, bringing the total to 252 since 1949, Mr Williams said. Ten of these children were under the age of five, and nearly half the tragedies were caused by drowning. Rivers, creeks and streams had claimed most of the victims since records were kept. Troughs, sumps, holes, sheep dips, reservoirs, and dams were the next dangerous in that order, said Mr Williams.

Constant vigilance over children was impossible for years at a time, but every farmer should know that there were specific times when these farm dangers were more apparent and greater care was necessary, he said.