HOKITIKA NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 December 1943, Page 3

HOKITIKA NOTES

[OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

The adjourned inquest into the death of Peter E. Nolan, aged 15 months, was concluded at Hokitika on Saturday, and the Coroner (Mr A. E. Benjamin) returned a verdict that death was due to bronchopneumonia, the result of burns received on November 28, 1943. Mrs Dorothy May Nolan, mother of the child, gave evidence that she was watering the garden about__7.ls p.m. on November 28 and hadjher son Peter with her. She had just finished one bucket of water and was returning from the house wifh a second one when she heard the child cry out. She found him on his feet about three yards from a small patch of ashes where her husband had burned some weeds and rubbish that morning. She could see that he was burnt, and sent for a doctor. The child was sent to the Westland Hospital, where he died on November 30. Dr. David A. Arnott, medical superintendent of Westland Hospital, said the child was suffering from extensive superficial burns when admitted to hospital. His progress was satisfactory until the morning of November 30, when he developed acute broncho-pneumonia, which caused his death. In his opinion, death was due- to broncho-pneumonia, resulting from burns of the forearms and hands. The A Company Home Guard, Hokitika, held its third anniversary smoko on Saturday night. Over 100 Guardsmen attended and the evening was filled with music, song, toast and story until midnight. Captain A. C. Armstrong of A Company was chairman and Messrs A. H. Lawn and Senior Sergt. Brown were in charge of the supporting programme. Guests of interest were Lieut. R. Guthrey, M.C., Major C. Biggs, Major P. Blank, Major Perham (O.C. Hokitika Battalion), Flight Lieutenants C. Lewis and Suttie and the Mayor, Mr A. R. Elcock. Captain Armstrong, in proposing the toast to the Battalion Commander, took the opportunity, to make a presentation of a fountainpen io Major Perham, who is leaving on transfer to Wellington.