Death from Eating Tutu: The Tragic Case of Elizabeth Diver, 1865

In October 1865, a tragic case in Cambridge drew attention to the deadly effects of the native tutu (Coriaria arborea) plant. The incident claimed the life of Elizabeth Diver, aged four years and nine months, and prompted an official inquest that urged for public warnings and eradication of the plant.

The inquest was held at Camp Cambridge on 16 October 1865, presided over by Dr Seth Sam, Coroner, with William Cunningham as foreman of the jury. Testimonies from witnesses offer a vivid record of the event and the community’s response.

Frank Diver, Elizabeth’s father and a soldier settler, testified that he returned home around 7 p.m. to find his daughter unwell, complaining she had eaten “a stick” given by another child. At first he thought she was pretending, but her condition quickly worsened. By the time Dr Sam arrived, Elizabeth was convulsing and unable to speak. Despite treatment through the night, she died at 4 a.m.

Neighbour Honora Brien described seeing the child suffering in fits and “in great agony.” Dr Sam called for help from a local Māori woman, Maria Pakua (Mere Takua), who had experience with poisoning cases. Through an interpreter, she confirmed that the child had eaten tutu and was beyond saving. She explained that Māori used salt and water as an antidote and believed the girl might have survived had she been treated earlier.

Pakua told the jury she had witnessed many cases of tutu poisoning — some fatal, some survived — and warned that the plant’s shiny fruit would continue to attract children. Another witness, Private Andrew Johnson of the 3rd Waikato Regiment, confirmed that the plant was common “in abundance round and about Cambridge.”

Dr Sam testified that the symptoms were consistent with tutu poisoning. He had treated one previous case successfully but said nothing more could have been done for Elizabeth. He strongly urged for the plant’s eradication, describing it as “very poisonous.”

The jury returned a verdict that Elizabeth Diver died as a consequence of eating the plant known as tutu, and not from any injury or violence. They asked that the findings be published in the Auckland newspapers to warn settlers and parents about the plant’s presence and toxicity. They further recommended immediate action toward its removal from the district.

The Plant Behind the Tragedy

Tutu (Coriaria arborea) is a native New Zealand shrub found throughout the country. All parts of the plant, except for the flesh of the berries, contain a potent neurotoxin known as tutin. The toxin can cause convulsions, paralysis, and death in both humans and animals.

Poisoning was common enough among newcomers in the 19th century that it gave rise to the verb “to tutu” and the adjective “tutu’d”. The plant’s name was often shortened to “toot,” and it remained a hazard to livestock well into the 20th century.

A Warning from the Past

The death of little Elizabeth Diver stands as one of the earliest recorded poisoning cases in the Cambridge district. She was buried on her father’s section, behind what is now Central Court. The jury’s call for public education and plant eradication reflects a period when soldier settlers were still learning to live safely among New Zealand’s native flora.

Source: Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXI, Issue 2586, 1 November 1865, Page 6 (Link to Papers Past, Daily Southern Cross, 1 Nov, 1865)