A CHILD KILLED AT PETONE.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 115, 12 November 1895, Page 4

A CHILD KILLED AT PETONE.

A Bhooking aooident occurred in Queenatreet, Petone, on Saturday, by which a child named Robert Oliver Pringle, aged two years and nine months, was 'killed by a blow from a piok. Ihe child was with an older girl who was taking a jug of tea to Mr. Pringle. He either ran or was impelled by a gust of wind in front of a man named Patrick Healy, who was engaged in picking the surface of the road, and before Healy waa aware of the child's presence he had Btruck it on the head with his tool. With a faint ory the little fellow sank unconscious. He was at once taken to Dr. Hislop'a surgery, and thence to his home, but the case was hopeless, and after lingering for about an hour and a quarter he expired. General sympathy is felt for tho parents. Mr. Pringle is well-known in Petone and Ngahauranga, where he acted last season as chamber-man at the Meat Export Company's freezing works. • An inquest was held yesterday by Mr. Ashoroft, Coroner. Mr. A. Bailey was foreman of the jury. Dr. Hislop having given evidence, Patriok Healy deposed that he did not ace the child till it was lying at his feet with the piok in his head. There waa a high wind, and witness' head was down low. He was wearing a large-brimmed soft hat, whioh the wind was blowing over hia eyes. James Vicar, who waa working near Healy, said he saw a ohild coming along the side of the drain, and about a minute after he saw it atop in front of Healy. Had told the obild to go back, and also heard a girl call him away. Alice M'Claughan, 12 years of age, who was with the deceased, said she thought the child went to run past Healy to its father. R. Pringle, father of the deceased, said he was Batißfied the affair was purely aooidental. The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death. __________