SHOCKING TRAGEDY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11224, 1 June 1922, Page 5

SHOCKING TRAGEDY

CHILD HURLED TO DEATH WOMAN JUMPS FROM BALCONY AT AUCKLAND. ‘•I CANNOT LIVE ANY' LONGER.” PER rJvtbSS ASSOCIATIONAUCKLAND, -May 31. A tragedy occurred a few' minutes after noon at the Strand Arcade. Miss Ina Mary Nalder, 25 years of age, a clerk" in the Pacific Cable Hoard office, hurled a four-year-okl girl over tne bulustraile on the top floor and then jumped to her death, 70 feet below. The child, Bettv Nalder, was the adopted daughter of die woman’s mother, who died a year ago. Upon her mother’s death Miss Nalder took upon herself tho duty of looking after tho child to whom she was greatly attached. 'l'lie child was being treated at the hospital for a broken arm, and Miss Nalder took her our for the day. CANNOT LIVE ANY' LONGER. At tho inquest the following letter, written by deceased to the coroner, found in a handbag, was read: "This is to state I am so unhappy I cannot live any longer. ‘ I am -not of temporary unsound mind as the papers ire always in the habit of say- ' ing. I wish my money, namely £IOOO, invested with a firm in Nelson and approximately £l5O in the Auckland Savings Bank, as well as any salary • duo to me to go to tho Auckland Hospital. None of my relatives have ever cared, for me or talien any "interest in me, therefore they have no right to the money and I do not wish any of them to come near my remains or take any interest in the affair whatever. No one will miss me.” TOO LATE TO AVERT TRAGEDY'. A witness produced a letter written to his daughter and received at noon that day, but- too late to avert the tragedy, though the police and Cable Board were telephoned immediately. The letter stated that Miss Nalder felt keenly that a friend of her’s became engaged to another girl and as she 1 ad nothing to live for she indicated her intention of committing suicide, taking the child, Betty, with her. The coroner returned a verdict to the effect that the deed'.was done while deceased was of unsound mind. A young woman, employed in a shop in the arcade, had a narrow escape from injury. She was buttoning a glove on her outstretched hand and the child struck the hand in falling at her feet. Before she recovered from the shock tlie woman’s body fell a lew feet away.