SCHOOLBOY’S INJURIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 189, 15 July 1925, Page 15

SCHOOLBOY’S INJURIES

PENCIL BODY. SEVERE WOUND INFLICTED. CHRISTCHURCH. July 12. In the Christchurch Hospital at the present time is Onslow Johnston Drinkwater, aged 10, who was grievously injured at the Linwood School in a tussle with another hoy. The two boys apparently, as boys will, matched their physical strength against each other. There was a tussle 'and Drinkwater ran away after a struggle. Drinkwater then found that he had been injured in the struggle and was taken into the school from the playground. A sharp slate pencil set in a metal holder had penetrated his abdomen severely. Every care was given to the hoy, who did not Jose consciousness. He was hurried to the Christchurch Hospitul, and it was subsequently found that the pencil had snapped off. The headmaster. Mr T. Dowds, telephoned to the hospital to inform the doctor that some portion of the pencil might he in the wound, but luckily there was nothing there. Two operations were performed on the hoy, and at first it was feared there might be complications. Mr Dowds stated that the other boy had been questioned concerning the incident, but it was difficult to obtain an explanation from him. This hoy at any time did not lend himself readily to Questioning. The boys, both aged about ten years, were in the playground and it was not known whether there had been a quarrel nor did it seem that the other hoy bore Drinkwater a grudge. Tf the boys fell the pencil might have been forced by Drinkwater’s weight into his body, and the impression that it was an accident was strengthened by the circumstance that Drinkwater immediately ran away ignorant of the fact that he had been hurt.

A full report on the incident was made hv the headmaster to the Linwood School Committee. The committee decided that there was no action open to it on the evidence produced. Tnere was no evidence that the injury had been inflicted wilfully.