Tragedy at Maori Pa

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 213, 6 September 1934, Page 6

Tragedy at Maori Pa

CHILD BURNT TO DEATH. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. A two-year-old child, Alary Habib, was burned to death and her elder sister severely injured in a fire which, with tragic suddenness, destroyed their father’s home at Oruanui Maori pa, about thirteen miles .from Taupo, this afternoon. The two ehil Iren were alone in the house. The father, who is employed in (he State Forestry plantations, was at work and the mother was visiting. The elder sister, who is aged eleven, was lighting the fire in the kitchen and decided to use kerosene to start it. Details arc not known, but apparently some of the kerosene fell on her foot and ignited. Fortunately her dress did not. catch fire, but the child was terrified and ran to tell her mother. In the meantime the flames sc-t fire to the house. The child ran nearly threequarters of a mile to her mother and by the time she had returned with IiCJ mother, the house was n sea of flames. Only then was it. realised that the younger child had been left in the house. It was impossible to make any attempts to save her house which was old and built of wood. The body of the child was later found near one of the doors. The tragedy was made more poignant by the tact that other houses in the pa are quite close and other clul dren. including brothers and sisters of the deceased child, were playing in the pa at the time, but by tho time the outbreak was noticed, the fire had gained control of the house.