SCHOOLBOY’S DEATH

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1935, Page 6

SCHOOLBOY’S DEATH

FALL ON TO FLOOR JOIST. INQUEST ON GORDON STOVE. Gordon H. Stove, a schoolboy aged 9 and a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Stove, Huiroa, died at the Stratford hospital at 2 a.m. yesterday. He was admitted early on Monday morning with internal trouble. An inquest was opened yesterday to secure evidence of identification and was adjourned till to-day. The boy was playing on Saturday in a room that Mr. Stove was adding to his home and evidently fell on his stomach across a floor joist, for he was found in that position after he had called out. Mr. Stove was being assisted by a young man, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Stove was outside the room and Mr. Thompson was in the doorway making a frame while Gordon was playing on a ladder in the room. The floor joists were in place but not the floor boards. Mr. Stove heard the boy call out, “Come quick; I’m winded.” ' Mr. Stove and Mr. Thompson hurried into the room and Mr. Thompson lifted the boy off a floor joist. He was gasping for breath but recovered in two minutes and said he was all right.

The boy did not cfimplain of pains or any trouble till about 10 p.m. on Sunday, after he had gone to bed, when he called out that he had pains in the stomach. As these pains appeared to get worse Mr. Stove left home at 2.30 a.m. and took his son to Dr. W. P. P- Gordon at Stratford and then to the Stratford public hospital.