TRAGEDIES TOO FREQUENT

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1934, Page 9

TRAGEDIES TOO FREQUENT

ROTORUA HOT POOL DANGER COMMENT OFFERED BY CORONER. NECESSITY FOR PROPER FENCING. APPEAL TO THE GOVERNING BODY. By Telegraph—Press Association. v Rotorua, Last Night,. “The death of this young girl again draws pointed attention to the necessity for proper fencing of these dangerous pools,” said the coroner, Mr. W. L. Richards, to-day in recording a finding of accidental death in the case of Nona Pettit, a 20-year-old Rotorua girl who died from shock caused by severe scalds caused through falling into a hot pool in the Kuirau reserve on the evening of September 13. “Tragedies of this kind are becoming too frequent, which indicates how essential it is for precautionary measures to be taken without delay,” the coroner continued. “It is to be hoped the authorities controlling this area will take immediate steps to enclose all these danger spots within their jurisdiction with the object of avoiding similar tragedies in future. I understand a pool adjacent to the scene of this unfortunate fatality is a very popular bathing place. If that is so the public should realise that deviating from footpaths after darkness has set in for the purpose of a bath, however pleasant, involves too great a risk, particularly in the absence of lighting facilities,” , „ . • i The evidence showed that tne gin went to the reserve shortly after nine o’clock with a companion for the purpose of bathing in a large warm pool. She left her clothes some distance away and while passing along a narrow path between two smaller pools accidentally slipped and fell into one of them. She was admitted to the Rotorua hospital and died the following morning from the effects of shock and scalding.