CHILD DROWNED IN RACECOURSE LAKE IN WANGANUI

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 January 1949, Page 4

CHILD DROWNED IN RACECOURSE LAKE IN WANGANUI

A Maori child, who was at the Maori Methodist Camp on the Wanganui Racecourse, was drowned in the ornamental lake in the grounds on Saturday evening. He was Mura Terrence Governor, aged 2} years, son of Mrs. Eunice Governor, of Lower Hutt.

The child, who was a grandson of Mrs. Norah Governor, the "Camp Mother," wandered away while the others were at tea. It had a ball and evidently this went into the lake, which is about two feet six inches deep. The child’s body was discovered later by Mrs. E. te Patu, of Putiki. Efforts at resuscitation were performed by a skilled nurse, Mrs. Alison Darvill, wife of the Rev H. Darvill, chief officer at the camp. Dr. R. H. Bowie was summoned and the child was taken by the ambulance to the hospital. Mrs. Darvill accompanied the child in the ambulance and continued resuscitation efforts, but the child failed to respond. An inquest, for identification purposes, was held yesterday before Mr. S. M. Dixon, city coroner, and adjourned sine die. The police were represented at the inquest by Constable J Needham (Gonville).