VAIN ATTEMPT TO SAVE BABY

Evening Star, Issue 22229, 6 January 1936, Page 6

VAIN ATTEMPT TO SAVE BABY

TRAPPED IN BLAZING HOUSE MOTHER SEVERELY BURNED [Per United Press Association.} AUCKLAND, January 5. A Maori woman, Mrs Tom Rewi, is in the Kawhia Hospital in a critical condition with severe burns suffered in a vain attempt to save the life of her baby, who was trapped in a burning house at Taharoa on New Year’s Day. Mr and Mrs Rewi, who are well known in the district, were visiting friends at Taharoa. which is about 15 miles from Kawnia in a remote district. The party at the homestead decided to have dinner outside about a chain from the house. They left Mr and Mrs Rewi’s eight-months-old baby asleep in one room of the house, and another two children were placed in a different room. Suddenly one of those having dinner outside saw smoke issuing from the house. The two children who were together were rescued .unharmed, but the baby was trapped in the room in which the fire originated. Thinking the baby was in the kitchen, Mr Rewi dashed into that room, but could not locate the child. Meanwhile Mrs Rewi rushed into the blazing room in which the child was lying, clasped the infant to her, and escaped from the burning building. The infant was severely burned, and the mother’s arms also suffered from contact with the flames, and her back was also severely burned through her clothes catching alight. It was not possible to bring the injured persons to Kawhia on the same day_ as the lack of communication made it impossible to secure a launch. The child died on Thursday, and Mrs Rewi reached the Kawhia Hospital yesterday. The inquest concerning the death of the infant was opened and was adjourned after evidence of identification had been taken. The house was completely destroyed. The cause of the fire is unknown. Neither the building nor the contents were insured.