FIRE TRAGEDY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24424, 6 November 1942, Page 2

FIRE TRAGEDY

LOSS OF THREE LIVES ALL YOUNG CHILDREN PARENTS AWAiY AT TIME (0.C.) INVETtCARGILL, Thursday Three children are dead as the result of a fire which destroyed a five-roomed house at Otautau, 31 miles from Invercargill, on Wednesday night. They were: — Mervyn John Ourrie, aged four. Norman Thomas Ourrie, aged three. Howard Colin Currie, aged 18 months. They were all the children of Mr. and Mrs. John Currie. Mr. Currie was away in a northern military camp and Mrs. Currie was visiting a neighbour a few doors away at the time of the fire. A fourth child, lan Currie, aged five, is a patient in the Riverton Hospital as the result of injuries received in the fire. Soldier's Rescue Effort The outbreak was first noticed at about 9.35 p.m. by Private Keith Ridley, a shearer, rtore, near Milton, who was on leave from a military camp and staying with friends near by. On his arrival at the burning house, Private Ridley found one of the front rooms ablaze, with the flames coming from both windows. Hearing the cries of children ho broke into the house. He was able to get one boy, Mervyn, out, hut the child died almost immediately. He also removed Norman and lan from the house and they were taken to the Riverton Hospital, where Norman later died. The baby, Howard Currie, could not be found in the house by Private Ridley, owing to the impossibility of searching some of the burning rooms, and was burned to death.

Work of Bucket Brigade Private Ridley had to enter the burning house three times to get the three children out and on each occasion the ri.sk of burning and suffocation was increased. There is no fire brigade at Otautau and. although there was no wind at the time, a bucket brigade had a hard task in saving the house next door. Its eaves caught fire while the furniture and effects were being removed. A house on the other side was also saved by the efforts of the bucket brigade. Evidence at Inquest The mother of the children, Mrs. Monica Margaret Currie, stated at the inquest to-day that she left home on Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. to go to a doctor to get a prescription for medicine for one of her sons. On her way home she called at the residence of Mrs. G. Stearne and was invited to go in for supper. While there she was informed that her house was on fire. On arrival she could do nothing, because llames were coming out of the front bedroom window. She did not know how the fire had started, as she had taken all precautions before going out. When she went in for supper Mrs. Stearne told her that the children were all right, as she had visited the house. There were no clothes or anything else near the fireplace.

MENINGITIS CASES STILL PREVALENT IN CITY Cerebro-spinal meningitis was still prevalent in the Auckland central health district and the improvement hoped for with the approach of summer was not yet apparent, said Dr. T. J. Hughes, medical officer of health, yesterday. During October the Health Department received notification of 32 positive cases, and there were four deaths. Four positive cases and two deaths have been reported this month TERRITORIAL KILLED ACCIDENT WHILE TRAINING (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Thursday A member of the Territorial Force, Private Howard Edward Cann, has been accidentally killed. His mother is Mrs. M. L. Cann, of Wanganui. Private Cann was a member of a composite company of an infantry brigade from the Manawatu area, which was engaged in bush mountain warfare. training in the Taihape district, and he was found at the foot of a small clilf with fatal head injuries. Apparently his rifle had accidentally discharged.

BATTLE NOISES MINISTERS SEE EXERCISE (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Thursday A "battle noises" exercise, a recent innovation in New Zealand, was witnessed by three members of the War Cabinet and a party of senior officers of the Army School of Instruction at a training area this afternoon. The "battle noise" course is designed to accustom troops to the noise of grenade and shell bursts and rifle fire, and make them realise that the noise itself cannot hurt them. The course introduced in the Dominion so far is regarded as elementary. The visitors included the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, the Minister of Munitions, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, the Minister of Armed Forces and War Co-ordination, the lit. Hon. ,T. G. Coates, the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces. Lieutenant-General E. Puttiek, and Major-Gcneral H. E. Barrowciough.

After the exercise was completed the Ministers were invited to enter the trenches and feel for themselves something of what it is like to be under shell and machine gun fire. Steel helmets were provided to give protection against the showers of earth and stones scattered by the explosions. Later, each of the three Ministers briefly addressed the officer cadets who took part in the exercise.

RUSSIA'S NATIONAL DAY FLAGS TO BE FLOWN (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Thursday The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, said to-day that flags would be flown on Government buildings throughout New Zealand next Saturday in honour of Russia's national day. "I am sure the people of New Zealand feel that the magnificent resistance put up by the forces of the Soviet and by the heroic Russian people merits the highest honour we can give," he said. He requested that reference bo made to the anniversary at any public functions held on Saturday and that flags bo flown in honour of our Russian allies.

The Russian National Day, the 25th anniversary of the formation of the U.S.S.R., which occurs to-morrow, will be celebrated in Auckland this morning by a reception at the Central Hotel at 11 o'clock. It has been convened bv the Slavonic Council and the Consul for Yugoslavia, Mr. John Totieh. Among the guests will be the Mayor. Mr. J. A. C. Allum, members of the consular corps, representatives of the United Nations, New Zealand armed forces, public bodies and societies.

HOME GUARD BAND (0.C.) HUNTLY, Thursday A Home Guard brass band has been formed in Huntly. Recently the Ngaruawahia Municipal Band went into recess, owing to several members having joined the armed forces, and the instruments were lent on a yearly rental basis to the Huntly Borough Council for use by the Huntly Home Guard. Keen interest is being taken in the band, and already there are about 20 players and several learners.