TRAGIC CHAPTER

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11027, 27 December 1928, Page 5

TRAGIC CHAPTER

DROWNING CASE CHILD WENT PADDLING. Electric Telegraph—Press Association AA’ELLINGTON, Last Night. An inquest was held to-day on Rae Verna Saul, aged two years and three months, who was drowned on Petone beach on Saturday. The evidence of the mother and sister, Joan, aged seven, showed that the child was paddling with Joan in shallow water and fell . face downwards. They were alone and Joan lifted the child and carried her home. The doctor certified as to using artificial respiration for half an hour without result. Death was due to drowning. The coroner returned a verdict accordingly, adding that no blam e was due to anyone. THE LURE OF THE BRIDGE. AUCKLAND, Last Night. At the inquest on Jules Victor Charles, a picture framer, who died from injuries received through jumping over Grafton bridge, evidence was given that deceased in a statement in the hospital said he had been worried about his wif e who had a nervous breakdown and he jumped over the bridge at midnight. A formal verdict was returned. THR EATENED SUICIDE. AUCKLAND, Last Night. AA’lien Florence Eugene Thompson, aged 25, was charged at the police court with vagrancy, Sub-Inspector McCarthy said she had been living with a man who had suffered from an injury to his eyes and had been unable to earn sufficient money. There had been a squabble and on Saturday accused threatened to throw herself over Grafton bridge. A constable tried to dissuade her but she then said she would go over the end of the wharf. A .week’s remand was granted. SCALDED TO DEATH. ROTORUA, December 24. An inquest was held before Mr S. I. Paterson, S.M., concerning the deaj;h of the man who jumped into a boiling pool on Friday. The man has been identified as Mr A. H. Hall, of Rotorua. Mr Hall, who was married, had been missing for two

days. Ernest R. Hansen, a bushman from Mamaku, said he went to AAhakai-ewarewa to have a spout bath. The place was not open and he waited. He saw a man standing on the brink of the hot pool. “I went over to him,” said witness. “He was standing with his foot on som e boards at the edge of the pool. I did not know him. I said: ‘This is not too safe about here.’ He said, ‘No, but this is the place for me. He immediately jumped into fhe boiling water as he was speaking. I went to the store and rang up the police, and went away after they arrived. AVlien I spoke to him lie seemed quite sober and rational.” The inquest was adjourned. FORTY PERSONS INJURED. MELBOURNE, December 25. A holiday train from Melbourne to Yarram entering Koowerap station at a speed of twenty-five miles per hour fouled the tender of a milk train. The sides of five out of §ix coaches comprising the passenger train, were ripped out, the last car being the only onp to escape. Forty persons wer e injured, of whom eightteen were taken to hospital.. None, however, were seriously hurt so far as can be ascertained. COLLAPSE OF BUILDING. LONDON, December 25. The death roll resulting from the collapse of reinforced concrete buildings under construction on the continent was increased by the disaster at Saumur where five workmen were killed and six injured. About a score were engaged removing the internal scaffolding supporting the roof mould when the entire building, which had been designed to store machine guns, collapsed like a house of cards. Four bodies were extricated from the ruins and another died in hospita I. FATAL CLASH. SAN JUAN (Argentina), Dec. 24. Five persons were shot dead and many injured in a clash between two factions of alleged Radicals.