AUCKLAND TRAGEDY

Grey River Argus, 11 May 1945, Page 5

AUCKLAND TRAGEDY

WOMAN AND DAUGHTER DEAD. P.A. AUCKLAND, May 10. _ A woman and her young daughter. Who were on holiday, were found , asphixiated in the kitchen of a .house where they were staying at Ellerslie. The burners of the gas stove had been turned on. Artificial respiration attempts were unsuccessful, and they did not regain consciousness. The victims were Mrs Doris May Walker, aged about 40, of Motatau, North Auckland, and J'udith Walker, aged 5. Mrs Walker and her husband, Mr D. T. Walker, who were teaching at a native school at Motatau, came to Auckland with their child last Tuesday to spend the school holidays with Mr Walker’s father at his home at Ellerslie. The husband left the house I this afternoon, and his father went | out about an hour later. Mrs Walker and her daughter were expected to

leav£ afterward to attend a picture theatre. Walker senior returned home about 5 p.m., and, noticing a smell of gas at the back of the house, he went into the kitchen,, where he found Mrs Walker and her daughter lying side by side on the floor, each with her head on a pillow. He went for assistance. Artificial respiration was attempted unsuccessfully.