“VERITABLE DEATH TRAP”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21993, 30 June 1933, Page 8

“VERITABLE DEATH TRAP”

UNFENCED-IN HOT POOL STRONG COMMENT BY CORONER V: V . (Pee United Press's association, i JROTORUA, June 29. Strong comment regarding the danger of unfenced hot pools near Maori pas and the necessity of providing proper safeguards by fencing was made hy the coroner, Mr W. L. Richards, at the inquest to-day into the death of a three- , year-old Maori child, Richard Skipwith, who died following a fall into a hot pool at Ngapuna Pa on June 20. Returning a verdict of death from shock as the resujt of scalds and suffocation the coroner said he had visited the pool in question on the morning after the fatality and it appeared to him to be a veritable death trap. 1 It was used by Natives for washing, and he had been informed that two other children had recently fallen into it but fortunately had been rescued in time. It varied in temperature and was very slippery round the edges where the Native women had been washing. There was an obligation uppn those living in the pas to protect i small children by fencing in these dangerous pools. He was glad to say that this particular pool had been filled in since the tragedy.

Census figures for the county of Gla-' morgan show that the population has declined by 26,764 in the 10 years since the former big count. This is the- first time for over a century that a fall has been registered—until now the population has been increasing steadily for 120years. In the previous 10 years’ period,, indeed, the increase was over 130,000. Still greater percentage declines have been registered in Monmouth. and eight other Welsh counties, although the population of England and Wales, considered as a whole, is 5i per cent, higher than it was at the time of the previous census. An analysis of the figures suggests that many of the young men have been driven from their homis by the slump, and have either found—or are looking for —work outside Wales altogether. Economic depression is thus draining the principality of some of its best blood.