TRAGIC ACCIDENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21468, 17 April 1933, Page 11

TRAGIC ACCIDENTS

DEATH OF TWO GIRLS STUMBLING OF PONIES CHILDREN IN HAWKE'S BAY An accident which ended fatally occurred near Ngawaka, Hawke's Bay, last Wednesday, when Jean, the small daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Johnstone, was thrown from her pony while on her way to school. The deceased, aged 12 years, left in the morning for school on her pony accompanied by her young brother. A few minutes after the children had left, tho latter returned home with the news that his sister was lying on the ground and was unable to move. Mrs. Johnstone hurried to the scene and, with the assistance of some neighbours, took tho injured child home. A doctor was summoned, but before he arrived the child was taken to tho Waipukurau Hospital, where she died on the following morning. It is presumed that the pony slipped and injured her in the fall. At the inquest a verdict was returned that death was due to a fracture of the base of the skull. Another distressing accident under circumstances somewhat similar, and again involving the death of a little girl aged 10 years, occurred at Waipukurau on Good Friday afternoon. Galene Bousefield, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. 0. Bousefield, was schooling her pony over some jumps in preparation for the Tikokino sports on Saturday, when the pony stumbled at one of the jumps and fell on her. The child was conveyed to the public hospital, but died within half an hour of the accident. The little girl was an expert rider, having won several prizes for both riding and jumping.