FATAL ACCIDENT AT HUNUA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5756, 29 April 1880, Page 5

FATAL ACCIDENT AT HUNUA.

As inquest was held at the Huuua, on Tuesdey, 27th April, before' Thomas Jackson, Esq., Coroner, and a jury of twelve, upon the body of Agnes Wallace, a<»ed three years and five months, the daughter of Mr. Matthew Wallace, of the Hunua. —Mr. Matthew Wallace deposed that he was a farmer, living at Hunua. Deceased was his daughter. The paddock about his house was very free from logs, only a few remaining, and to those his cider boys had set fire on Thursday night last, and by Friday morning all had burnt ont save one, and that was very nearly exhausted. About 9 a.m. his younger chi'dren the deceased and two others, one older and one younger than her, came to him for their usual ride on the horses before they were yoked. Having been delayed that morning he did not give the children their ride, but told them to go and play, and ho went to hi 3 ploughing about 100 yards off. He had not yoked his horses, was doing so, when he heard the children called home by their mother, who was on the verandah of the house, and almost immediately after he heard a cry that Agnes was on fire. He looked, and saw the child's clothes blazing, and the eldest daughter running toward the child. He ran, and reached her just as his daughter had clasped the blazing child in her arms. He cut off her clothes, and with the assistance of Mrs. Palmer and bis wife, carritd the child into the house on a stretcher of a petticoat. The child was badly burnt from the knees to the chtst. All round the body in front the burns were deep. Her clothes were mostly cotton. Ho soaked a sheet in kerosene, and applied dressings of kerosene to the burns, that being the best material for dressing, which nas immediately available. The child appeared to suffer much, but toward night got better, and was as cheerful and bright as she usually was. Mrs. Wallace and Miss Wallace slept in the same room as the child. She continued apparently well throughout the night, and died at G a.m. on Saturday without a struggle. The child must have put some small sticks on tho embers, and rekindled the fire, and deceased must have got her clothes ignited while so doing. Miss Wallace and Mrs. Palmer gave evidence similar to tho above. Dr. Dalziel deposed that he had made an examination of the body, and found the burns very serious, and that ihe shock to the system from the bums were sufficient to cause death. The verdict wasiu accordance with the medical testimony. —[Own Correspondent, April 28.]