CHILDREN’S FATE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20891, 24 August 1939, Page 11

CHILDREN’S FATE

TURANGI TRAGEDY MOTHER’S EVIDENCE AT INQUEST FIREPLACE DEEMED UNSAFE (Special to Times) TAUMARUNUI Wednesday An inquest was opened by the coroner, Mr W. Thomas, at Taumarunui this afternoon into the deaths of tlie six Maori children in the lire near Turangi. Te Raita Whakatihi (Mrs Biddle), mother of the children, gave evidence that her husband was deaf and dumb. She stated that the whare had only one room and there was an open fireplace. The chimney was of galvanised iron, with an earth base. There was a sack in front of the fireplace to step the smoke from coming into the room. “We occupy two huts on the property," said Mrs Whakatihi. "It has been the practice for the six eldest children to sleep on the floor of the whare and for my husband, with the youngest child, two months old, to retire to the other whare a short distance away. In the night 1 was awakened by the sound of shouting.” Witness said she and her husband went out, to find the whare in flames. They rushed in with others to get the children out. Witness did not know who first saw the lire. They managed to get all the children outside, but they were suffering from burns. They were placed in another whare near by. The district nurse came afterwards and did what she could to treat the burns until the children were taken to the Taumarunui Hospital. Fireplace Not Safe Witness said that since the fire she had heard that another employee at the settlement, Dave Kahua, saw the eldest boy taking more firewood into the whare where the children were sleeping. He did not see firewood being placed on the fire. “I am of the opinion that my boy must have placed more wood on the fire and went off to sleep with the other children, and that some of the burning wood fell out and set fire to the building. I always regarded the fireplace as not safe." When we had a fire burning we had to be careful. It was only about ‘2ft. from the fireplace to the timber near the hearth, and there was no brick or concrete to protect fire falling from the fireplace. I regard the fire as accidental.” The inquest was adjourned sine die.