ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1800, 12 July 1913, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

MOTOR MISHAP, DEATH OF MRS. HALL-KENNY. Tho inquest concerning the death of Mrs. Hall-Kenny, who was knocked down by a motor-oar on July 4, was concluded yesterday. Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., conducted the inquiry. Charles A. Haxton, a taxi-driver, employed by Georgo Howard, deposed that he was. driving along Lambton Quay just beforo tho accident, and that as . ho rounded the beiul by Woodward Street he was travelling at about fifteen miles per hour. Just after ho rounded the bend lio noticed a woman standing ott tho Woodward Street sido of tho tnuii lines, ller attention seemed ,to bo focussed. on a dog which was with her. Witness blew his horn, and his exhaust whistle, hut' tho deceased took 110 notice. Then she commenced to walk in the direction of'the Public Trust building,, but on reaching tho trariilines she.suddenly turned, and retraced her steps. This brought her into the track of tho car, and witness applied tho brakes and blew tlie horn. The application of the emergencybrake caused the car to skid, first in the one direction ami then in the other, and eventually the tail of the car struck deceased. The length of the skid was 47 feet. If the car had not slewed no accident would have , happened. On a greasy road . a car would always skid when tho breaks were applied. • Several witnesses corroborated the driver's statements. "Wo hear a vcry_ great deal about tho enormous speed at' which tnxi-cab and motor-car drivers travel," said the coroner, in delivering his verdict, "and, I daresay that in some cases what is said is justified. . In this case tho evidence shows that the taxi-cab was, travelling it fifteen miles per hour. . At twenty minutes to eight in tho morning there was nothing to render that anything but a moderate speed. There were few peoplo about at tho time. This was an accident pure and simple," Continuing, tho coroner said that for sorno reason deceased, after crossing the road, made as if to go back, and tho taxi-driver, had no opportunity to pull up in time on • tho greasy road. The verdict was that deceased came to her death through being accidentally struck by a taxi-cab, and that no blame whatever was attachable to tho driver of the vehicle, A PECULIAR ACCIDENT. ; Christcliurch, July 11. Thomas Crompton, accountant was found .this afternoon in his office, 140 Hereford Street, lying unconscious on tho iloor. He was attended by Dr. Orchard, who found that the gas hud been turned on in an unlighted gas stovo in tho room where Crompton was lying. Dr. Orchard considers it probablo that Mr. Crompton slipped or fainted, and in his fall struck tho tap of tho gas stove, turning it oil. Crompton was seen by his employees some twenty minutes earlier in the 'and was then apparently in the best of health. He was removed to tho hospital, and partially recovered consciousness soon after his arrival. He is expected to recover. >' < : V SHOT WHILE PIG-HUNTING. Gisborne, July 10. Two Maori youths, Henry Harrison aJid Horo Akeha, were pig-shooting in the Waiapu district, and wero orawling through bush, when Harrison's gun caught in the supplejacks, tho charge lodging in Afena's back. Akena was carried by Harrison a mile, and then borno on'a stretcher for eight miles down a very rough river-bod. INFANT'S DEATn. An inquest will be held this morning ' concerning the death of Frederick Gamble, fourteen months''eld, who died in tho Hospital yesterday. Against Accidents and Sickness insuro with tho Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation, Ltd., 117 and 121 Custom- ' house Quay, Wellington,—Advt.