ATHOL STEVEN’S DEATH

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 25 May 1922, Page 4

ATHOL STEVEN’S DEATH

TO-DAY’S INQUEST. STRONG WORDS BY CORONER, An inquest was held at the Courthouse to-day corncerning the death of Athol Leonard Stevens, who died at the Public Hospital yesterday as the result of injuries received through falling from the night-cart, driven by his father,. Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., presided as Coroner. Sergt. O’Connell appeared for the police. Thomas Henry Borough contractor and fanner, father of deceased, stated in evidence that deceased was eleven years of age last month. Witness used to take either of his two boys, aged eleven and thir teen respectively out with him at night. On May 1, between 10.30 and eleven o’clock, the deceased had just got on the dray and had not gone more than a chain and a half when the chain came off the saddle. Witness told the boy to get off the back of the dray. The Coroner: Why the back of the cart ?

Witness explained that the dray was peculiar in make and that there was no other way of putting on the chain. The horse was restive. He heard the boy cry out that he was hurt. The night was dark, and witness could not see very well. When he heard the boy cry out, he let go the horse, and took the boy straight to the house. Hi s wife thought the boy was all right, and witness went back for the horse. He was away about twenty minutes. Then he went for the doctor, who arrived immediately. It w’ould quite within an hour from the time he sarted to go heme till he got the doctor.

Witness said he took the boy with him to hold the horse. He had a chain on the wheel, but the horse kept quieter when someone was with him. He took the boy for periods of from two to two and a half hours. The boy was in the habit of going to sleep at six o’clock in the evening, and witness woke him at about 10.15; and he generally got to bed again about 2 a.m. He was a strong and healthy boy. “I wish it to be understood that the boys in no way help me with my work,” he said.

The Coroner, sharply: It i s quite bad enough that you should have taken him out at all. I shall have something to say about that shortIv.

In answer to further questions, witness stated that the deeeased attended the public school. He was allowed to sleep until 8 a.m. He had home lesons only about two nights a week. He was in the fourth standard, and was a particularly smart boy.

The Coroner: They have more home lessons than that in th e fourth standard, surely.

Witness said that when home from school the boy had no other duties. Sometimes witness took one boy with him, and sometimes th e other; and occasionally he took both. Witness only went out on two nights a week. Deceased never helped in any shape or form except to look after the horse.

Dr Hayes stated that about 11.45 p.m. on May 1, witness called on him to go and see his boy, because he had fallen off the night cart. Witness arrived in a few minutes and found deceased in bed, complaining of a pain in the right loin and the right side of the abdomen. Witness told Stevens what to do, and saw deceased next morning. His condition had not improved, and that afternoon it was necessary to explore the right kidney. This' was found to be damaged, jso that it was necessary to remove it. The patient did well until a fortnight ago, when complications set in through the remaining kidney failing to act. The patient gradually became worse and died

®f Uaaemia at 3.30 a.m on the instant. Witness said he undersf deceased hud had scarlet fever, five or six years old, and one of serious complications of scarlet] er was acute inflammation of kidneys; thus it was possible tha the time of the accident the left ney was diseased. In reply to a question by the oner, witness said the right kt did not show any signs of disi He had had the assistanc eof Dr ] and Dr Wylie in the operation. The boy had told him, witness « tinued, that the horse had star and that he had fallen while rid :on the dray. He thought he fell I the wheel. The Coroner returned a vert that the deceased had died in Publie Hospital as the result of juries received through falling ft a night-cart driven by his fatt Boys of such tender years sho not be taken out at 11 p.m. to ass their parents in carrying out tl ordinary avocations. Had the decs been alive, h e would have been a I healthy boy; and he thought the fa er should have more thought for child. He could not help but bla the father. Such a thing should: be don e under any excuse whatei There was legislation, added Coroner, to stop any boy under foi teen being employed in shops 4 factories; but he did not think Act applied in this ease. He thoui however, that the law should ab s utely prohibit children being emph ed in-such a manner, which shoi not be tolerated in any civilised c Ol try such as New Zealand.