DOMINION NEWS BRAVE LITTLE GIRL: TRIBUTE BY CORONER

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 February 1947, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS BRAVE LITTLE GIRL: TRIBUTE BY CORONER

“You are a brave little girl for your years, and I think you should be very highly commended for your courageous act,” said the Coroner (Mr H. Addison) to Shirley Jean Norton, aged 12, a daughter of Constable J. Norton, of Helensville, during’an inquest into the death of Peter Crawford McCartie, aged 11, who was drowned at Henderson. Evidence was given that on January 20 the boy, Shirley Norton, and another small girl were in Falls Park, Henderson. McCartie was swinging on a rope over a freshwater pool, and while Shirley Norton was walking away from the pool she heard a splash. She ran to the bank, dived into the water, and took hold of him. McCartie was struggling and pulled her under. She had almost got him to the side of the pool when she became exhausted and was unable to hold him any longer. She was assisted out of the water by the other girl and ran home to tell her father what had happened. Constable Norton and another man went to the pool, where the body of the boy was recovered. A vei diet of accidental drowning was returned. — (P.A.)

Assets of N.Z. Clubs. The assets of the New Zealand Forces Clubs in the Middle East and Italy amounted to more than £lOO,000 and were held in the Bank of New Zealand, Wellington. This was reported to a meeting yesterday of the National Patriotic Fund Board. The meeting appointed Sir William Perry, Colonel F. Waite and Mr. G. A. Hayden to wait on the Prime Minister (Mr. P. Fraser) to see if the matter could be finalised. —(P.A.) “Mr. Cash” Returns.

Through mutilation in transmission, the name of the Minister of Finance (Mr. W. Nash) who returned by flying-boat from Sydney was given as “Mr. Cash” on the Tasman Empire Airways’ list of passengers which was sent by radio from Sydney. As Tasman Empire Airways officials were aware that Mr. Nash was on the flying-boat, they made investigations which revealed that the mistake occurred when the message was being sent from Sydney. Welcome Rain in Hawke’s Bay. Steady light rain fell throughout Hawke’s Bay during Tuesday night, and will have a refreshing influence generally on the countryside, which was feeling the effects of six weeks of dry conditions. In some of the country districts, there was a somewhat heavier fall than the 83 points recorded in Hastings, and this will relieve some of the anxiety felt about water for stock. Many of the established watering places for travelling stock have dried up or become very low.—(P.A.)