BALCLUTHA DISTRICT NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21600, 22 March 1932, Page 13

BALCLUTHA DISTRICT NEWS

SOUTH OTAGO

(From Our Own Correspondent.) BALCLUTHA, March 21. An inquiry was held by Mr H. J. Dixon. S.M., coroner for the district, on Saturday afternoon, at the Balclutha Courthouse, into the death of a child named Greta Mary Waddingham!agedll7 months), which occurred at the Balclutha Hospital on the previous day. The parents (Mr and Mrs R. Waddingham) are residents of Kaitangata. The mother (Ellen Waddingham) stated that she had taken the child to the residence of her grandparents at 9 a.m. on March 18, and the child had played about until 2 n.m., when it was seen by an aiint in a choking condition, and holding a bottle that contained kerosene. Convulsions followed, and Dr de Clive Lowe was called in and ordered the child’s removal to the Balclutha Hospital.—Dr Lowe stated in evidence that the child’s condition had improved slightly after treatment at the hospital, but a relapse followed, and death took place at 4.40 n.m. on Friday. In ma opinion death had been caused by the child taking kerosene while teething, ihe kerosene might not have proved fatal but for the teething. The child was well nourished and healthy.—Jeanette Smith, aunt of the deceased, stated that she haa loft a bottle containing kerosene standing by the copper in the yard where the child was subsequently playmg.-—The coroners verdict was that death was caused by the accidental taking of kerosene while teething. NEW INVENTION. Great interest is being taken by farmers of the district in the announcement that a demonstration' of the new Macalister fertiliser and grass seed sower will be held at the farm of Mr Murdoch Tosh, Stirling, on Wednesday.