CASUALTIES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16266, 17 July 1918, Page 9

CASUALTIES.

' FATAL MOTOR ACCIDENT,

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.} WELLINGTON, July 16. An inquest was opened to-day on the body of Ormond C. Cooper, who died, on Saturday from injuries suffered in a motor-car accident in Molesworth street the previous Wednesday. Michael Kearney, driver of the car, in which the deceased, and four others were riding, said he was travelling down Moleswortn street at about six or seven miles per hour. Before tho collision occurred, he applied the brakes to avoid a motor-car in front, and a two-horse lorry came into view. When witness applied the brakes, the back of the car . skidded, and the tram struck the frdSt of the car. The shaft on the left side of tho lorry struck witness's car and went through the body. The lorry was moving up the street. As far as witness could see, it had no lights. There wa» sufficient room on the proper side of the road for the lorry to have passed the tram. The driver of the tram said his car was travelling at about four or fivo miles per hour. The spot where the accident occurred was very narrow. Tho lorry was moving towards the wrong side of the street. The inquest was adjourned till toi morrow.

A serious motor-cycle collision took f>lace at about 7.15 last night. Wiliam George Carrington, who had been riding his motor-cycle and side-chair northward along Barbadoes street, and was turning into Salisbury street, collided with a man named C. Begg, also mounted on a motor-cycle, and with his wife in a side-chair, who was riding down Barbadoes street from the north. Tho parties concerned were all thrown to the ground, but escaped serious injury with the exception of Begg. He was token to the Hospital in an unconscious condition. Tho machines were, of course, considerably damaged. Yesterday no improvement was reported in the condition of Mr Ronald Opie, son of Mr C. H. Opie, who met with a motor-cycle aCcidcnt recently. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) AUCKLAND, July 16. A man named Charles Smith was drowned in tho river near Dargaville whilo swimming to a launch.