CARE OF CHILDREN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21185, 7 August 1940, Page 6

CARE OF CHILDREN

DANGER OF NEGLECT REMARKS BY CORONER DEATH OF MAORI INFANT Very often the deaths of Maori children were hastened as a result of neglect and selfishness of the parents, said the district coroner, Mr F. W. Platts, in Hamilton yesterday, when the inquest was concluded concerning the death of a Maori infant, Kotene Rangi, aged 10 months, the son of Gordon and Rangiora Rangi, of Whatawhala. The coroner again commented upon the large number of deaths of Maori infants. Evidence regarding the cause of the death of Kotene Rangi was given by Dr. A. G. Waddell, who considered the child had died of pneumonia. The verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence. The parents had previously given evidence that they had attended a wedding some distance beyond Te Awamutu on the Saturday and returned home on Sunday. The child was a little cross, but after feeding on Sunday night apparently went to sleep. Early on Monday morning the child was dead. Dr. Waddell said he conducted a post-mortem examination on July 30 There was nothing to be found externally indicative of injury. Both lungs, however, showed extensive signs of early pneumonia, and he was of the opinion that the child had died of pneumonia after the disease had been present for 36 to 48 hours. In reply to the coroner, the doctor said that the parents’ action in taking the child out with them would accelerate death. The child must have been seriously ill on the Sunday.