FALL INTO HOT BATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23161, 6 October 1938, Page 18

FALL INTO HOT BATH

MAORI CHILD'S FATE * ACCIDENTAL DEATH VERDICT ■ ; ••• >,,■ \ [BY TELECBAPH~OWJf COBBESPONDEN'I] ROTORUA, Wednesday A verdict of jidciderital death from shock following scalds, was returned by the coroner, Mr. W. L. Richards, at the conclusion of ,the* inquest to-day concerning the'ideath "of a three-year; old Maori boy, Raiigituturu Marsh, who fell inito a hot mineral bath at Ohinemutu 'yesterday morning. ' The mother, of the child, Rangihuia Marsh, gave evidence that the bath was in an enclosure • about' 10 yardji from the house, and that it had an open doorway. Jhft bath was filled from an adjacent hot pool and the water had to bo left for some, hours before it was cool enough to make bathing safe. Although the child usually, told Jier when he going for a bath* he had notldone so yesterday, and she thought that he had gono into the enclosure and 'accidentally slipped into the bath. ' 7 "There are features -;in 'connection with the death, of this small boy which suggest the possibility of measures being taken to prevent -a similar a'ccident in the future," said' tho,[ coroner. "There is nothingvtpfstop , young people from wandering into the enclosure. On this occasion the' bhild was too young to understand the danger. The father has undertaken to erect a.gato to close the open doorw'ay, and I feel that this \Vill be-a big factor in avoiding a fatality of this kind in the future."