Obituaries Australia

A sad drowning fatality occurred at Dripstone yesterday morning when James Michael Meehan, the bright 18 months old son of Mr and Mrs Michael Meehan, lost his life. During the morning, the little chap was playing around the house and crawled through a hole in the wire-netting fence around the house and wandered away. He got through another fence and made for the cultivation paddock about 100 yards away from the house. A drain ran along the side of this paddock, and the baby toddled towards this. The mother, on missing her son immediately made a search but could see no trace of him and Mr Gibbs came and joined her, and on her going to the paddock he found the little fellow floating in the drain in about two feet of water. First aid was immediately obtained from Mumbil and Stuart Town, but without avail, as life was found to be extinct. At the spot where the body was found is a plank, and it is thought the deceased tripped over this and fell head first into the water. Great sympathy is expressed for the parents, especially as the deceased was a very bright and healthy child. Mr M. Meehan is well-known in Wellington, where he and his family resided for some time.

The funeral took place this afternoon, the remains being interred in the R.C. portion of the Wellington Cemetery. Mr D. J. Nicholson had charge of funeral arrangements.