DROWNING FATALITY AT WOODHAUGH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 50

DROWNING FATALITY AT WOODHAUGH.

A dangerous hole in the Leith where it runs through the Woodhaugh Gardens was responsible for the drowning of a 12-year-old girl named Margaret Scoullar Grierson yesterday afternoon. The girl was walking along the bank of the stream between 1 and 2 o’clock, when she slipped on a greasy rock and fell into the water, the current swiftly carrying her to the deep hole. The spot is not far from the see-saws, and as there were women and children about the alarm was quickly given. There is a strong under current ip the hole, which is estimated by Constable O'Connor to be somewhat about 12ft deep. A man named M’Artney stripped off, and pluckily attempted a rescue, but was himself taken underneath and had to desist. Dragging was eventually resorted to, but it was not till about 4 o’clock that the child’s body was recovered. She was a pupil of the North-East Valley School, living with Mrs Mary Duffy at No. 1 Royston street, NorthEast Valley. Mr H. \A T . Bundle, sitting as coroner) conducted an inquest on Saturday into the circumstances surrounding the death of a 12 year old . girl, Margaret Scoullar Grierson, who was drowned in an old swimming pool in the Woodhaugh Gardens on the previous day. The inquiry was held at the residence of the deceased’s guardian, Mrs M. Dtiffoy, Royston street. North-East A T alley. Mrs Duffey said that the deceased had lived with her since she was seven months’ old. She last saw the girl alive at halfpast 7 on Friday morning. AVitness was then leaving for work, and the deceased had asked permission to go to a picnic in the Woodhaugh Gardens. John Roberts, a boy 11 years of age. said that while playing in the vicinity of the old swimming pool in the Woodhaugh Gardens at 2 p.m. on Friday he saw the deceased there. Ho did not know her, but she spoke to him, saying that there used to be a swimming pool at that snot. The deceased, who had her suoes off, then walked down to the rocks by the pool, and, after paddling in the water for a while, got on to a mossy rock. Witness saw her slip off this rock and fall backwards into the water. When he ran away for his mother the deceased was struggling in the middle of the pool, where she had been carried by the current. On returning with his mother he saw the girl sink for the last time. There were only children about at the time. This evidence was corroborated by Helen Doig. nine years of age, of Mornington. Mrs Delia Roberts said that she went to the scene of the accident when called by her son. She saw the deceased sink and fail to come up again. There were no men about at the time. The place was a regular death trap for children, and no child had a chance there. There was a drop of 15ft from the bank, which was not' fenced. A notice board was there warning people not to destroy the bush, but there was none pointing out the danger of the pool. Evidence was given bv Constable O’Connor regarding the recovery of the body. \YII- - endorsed Airs Roberts’s remarks with regard to the dangerous nature of the place. Joseph Aloysius ATCartney said that he made frequent unsuccessful attempts to recover the body by diving for it. After an hour’s work he eventually recovered it with the aid of a fork. He considered the pool a very dangerous one. The Coroner said that it was quite clear from the evidence that the girl had been playing and paddling in the vicinity of the pool. She had apparently taken precautions, but had dipped off a rock. He returned a verdict that the deceased had been accidentally drowned, and expressed his sympathy with her friends. Mr Bundle added a rider that the Dunedin City Council should take immediate steps to have the place properly fenced and a notice board erected. In doing so ho said (hat he was painfully surprised that such a deathtrap had not received any attention from the City Council. The children’s playground was alongside, and apart from the dangers of the pool it would be equally serious if a child fell from the bank on to the rocks below. In view of the fact that there had been two previous deaths there it seemed extraordinary that the council had not already taken steps to have the place properly fenced.