It was a Hard Life

From the Grey River Argus - Waiuta Notes.

3 March 1931. Audrey Hocking, aged 1 year, has died of meningitis. Her family has been in waiuta for 6 months.

20 February 1938 Ethel Louisa May Hocking has died, aged 6 years, from meningitis.

14 April 1938 Leola Hocking, aged 9 years, has died from tubercular meningitis.

4 May 1938 Pauline Joyce Hocking, aged 10 years, has died from tubercular meningitis.

23 Setember 1938 The funeral of Mrs. Ethel Louisa Hocking took place in Reefton on September 20. The deceased, who had been in ill health from tubercular meningitis for some months, was a 28 year-old native of Cornwall who arrived in Waiuta 8 years ago.

The hand of death has fallen heavily on the family during the past few months. Four of the children, and now the mother, have passed away. The deceased leaves two children besides her husband.

(A child died in 1931 of meningitis, 6 months after their arrival from Cornwall).