MORE TRAGEDIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1928, Page 5

MORE TRAGEDIES

BABY TAKES PART-TABLET EARLY DEATH FOLLOWS (Per Press Association.) WANGANUI January 17. The infant child of Major Bremner, o.f the Defence Department who is under transfer from Hawera to Christchurch, died shortly after being taken ill at Waverley, yesterday. On Sunday night, the girl, who was aged 17-g months, had eaten a portion, of a meta burning tablet. A doctor was called, who said that there was nothing poisonous in the tablets, that the child would have abdominal pains, and to give her oil and milk. The child cried and vomited during the night. The doctor was again called in the morning. He washed out the child’s stomach, and said she would be all right to travel. On the train she developed convulsions, and died at a? doctor’s room at Waverley., Coroner Barton said that there had been at least two similar cases in recent years,' involving various kinds of naphthaline tablets. Children, after treatment, appeared to get all right, then become suddenly ill and die. He was anxious to see whether some remedy could not be found. The enquiry was adjourned for a week. CLERGYMAN KILLED. PALMERSTON NORTH, Jan. 16. Rev. W. S. Tremain, who was injured in the railway crossing smash, this afternoon, died at the hospital to-night, leaving a wife and two children. Deceased -came to New Zealand from the McKenzie River country, where he was a missionary among the Eskimos for five years. MOTOR CYCLIST’S DEATH. HAMILTON, Jariuary 16. An inquest was held into the circumstances connected with the death of Leslie Spencer, motor cyclist, who vyas killed in a collision with a car driven by Arthur Raymond Gifford, at the Five Cross Roads, Claudelands, recently. After the hearing of evidence, Coroner Wyvern Wilson S.M.,- returned a verdict that Spencer’s death was the result of a collision, and that at the time, Gifford was travelling at an excessive speed, on the wrong side of the road. Gifford was then charged with negligent driving, and thereby causing the death of Spencer. ) Accused was remanded on bail at £.lOO. SWIMMER DROWNED. INVERCARGILL, January 16. While ba.thing in the Makarewa River on Sunday afternoon, Harry Reynolds, 22, residing at North Makarewa, was drowned. He was a strong swimmer, and it is presumed that he had an attack of cramp. WOMAN’S 'DEATH.. HAMILTON, January 16. An inquest was held to-day into the circumstances connected with the death of Ethel Kennedy Rochford, 39, married, who died shortly after admission to the Waikato Hospital on December 31. Evidence was given by Dr. Fulton that, in response to a message from a neighbour, he went to Mrs Rochford, who said her candition had been brought on by herself, consequent on happenings a few months before, while she was at Brown’s Bay on holiday. Dr. Fulton said that he had conducted a post-mortem on the body. Death, in his opinion, was due to the use of some strong irritant which caused shock and a gradual failing of the heart’s action, and congestion of the lungs. It was impossible to say whether an instrument had .been used. Certainly, in his opinion, some stronger solution than alum had been used. .He expressed the opinion that the irritant had not been self-applied. The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with Dr. Fulton’s evidence, that'death was. due to the use of some irritant, causing shock and a gradual failure of the heart’s action, and congestion of the lungs.

BABY SUFFOCATED. WELLINGTON, .January 17. An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of an unidentified male infant, whose body was found in the harbour on Sunday morning, was held before the Coroner, Mr Riddell. Dr Wright said that he was of opinion, that - the child had breathed once. A string was hung loosely round the waist and neck of the child, but there were no marks of external violence. The Coroner remarked that it was impossible to say whether suffocation took place in Wellington or elsewhere. His finding was that deceased was found in the Wellington Harbour on January IS, the cause of death being suffocation from an unknown cause, on or about November 15, 1927. KILLED ON RAILWAY. AUCKLAND, January 17. An unknown man was killed on the railway line at Mount Eden early this morning. He was walking along the rails when he was overtaken by a train bound for the city, at a crossing opposite a gate. The engine was on top of him when he was seen by the driver He was a. man about 40 years of age, and carried a worker’s railway ticket. SLAUGHTERMAN’S DEATH. CARTERTON, January 17. Richard Amber, single, aged about 56 engaged as a slaughterman at the Wciingciwfi Meat Works, suddenly expired this morning, when at work on bis second lamb, falling forward on the board. The body was removed to Masterton for an inquest.