 |
| The Strand Arcade, Queen St 1930s Auckland War Memorial Museum |
Arcade, buttoning a glove on her outstretched hand. Something srikes her hand and she steps back and looks down ....and screams. A child lies dead at her feet. She is in shock and looks around in panic for help, only to see another body, that of a young woman, land close by.
The date is 31st May 1922.
It appears that Ina Nalder hurled the little girl over the balustrade on the top floor of the Strand Arcade and then jumped to her own death. It was a 70 foot drop.
This is the sad story of Betty and Ina Nalder as told through witness accounts and the inquest into their deaths.
Ina Mary Nalder aged 24 was a clerk at the Pacific Cable Board Office and was said by her employer to be a quiet and respectable girl.
Ina had been seen at 10 am 31 May in the Post Office Building and she had shown no sign of depression or anxiety.
Albert Brown, owner of the Stonehurst boardinghouse in Symonds St where the girls lived, knew a little of their background, and had identified the bodies for the police.
Betty aged 4 was the adopted child of Ina’s mother who died 2 years earlier. Betty became Ina’s responsibility on the death of her mother, and by all accounts Ina was very fond of the little girl.
Betty had been in Auckland Hospital with a broken arm and was hospitalised for some months. Ward staff advised that Ina had gone to the ward and collected Betty on the morning of 31 May, saying she was going to give her a “treat” and would bring her back to Hospital that afternoon.
The landlords daughter had been friendly with the girls and had been left a letter written by Ina – it read “My dear Esther – the real truth of the cause of my death is that Alan has become engaged to a girl in Rotorua. It has broken my heart. I am taking Betty with me because this is not a happy world at the best of times, and it would be a shame to leave her to face it alone .Good bye Esther. May you have the best of luck. Please do not worry about me. Ina “.
A police sergeant had found a letter in Ina’s handbag this was addressed to the Coroner and was also read out at the inquest
“Pacific Cable Board 31st May 1922 – The Coroner – Sir this is to state that I am so unhappy that I cannot live any longer – I am not “of temporary unsound mind” as the papers always insist on saying. I wish my money namely 1,000 pounds plus salary owed to go to the Auckland Hospital. None of my relations have ever cared for me or taken any interest in me, therefore they have no right to the money. I do not want any of them to come near my remains or take any interest in the affair – no one will miss me – Ina. M Nalder “,
The Coroner returned a verdict to the effect that the deed was done while Ina Nalder was in a state of unsound mind.
Headlines of the time read “Dual Tragedy” and “I am so unhappy”
Presbyterian Division D, Row 10
Plot 64: Betty Nalder (5) 31/5/1922 –
unmarked
Ina Nalder (24) 31/5/1922 – Miss –
Typist
Sources:
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
Auckland Star 1 June 1922
Northern Advocate 1 June 1922
Image: http://api.aucklandmuseum.com/id/media/p/7c46ad306e1ae46d9fdb61374176230974ebf672?rendering=original.jpg
Presented by Susan Reid Discover Waikumete
No comments:
Post a Comment