KILLED BY A TRAMCAR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1991, 23 February 1914, Page 6

KILLED BY A TRAMCAR

INQUEST ON MR CHRISTIE.

MOTORMAN DID HIS BEST. '- , \ Tho inquest was concluded on Satur!ay morning, before tho Coroner, Mr. »y.".G. : .Riddell, S.M., on Mr. Frank H. Christie, who tlic'd iii tho Hospital on Thursday last, as the result of a tram accident on |he previous'ovening. Sergeant Dill conducted tlio inquest, and Mr. J.: O'Shea, .City Solicitor, watched tho; proceedings on behalf of the corporation. ■ " '.■'■• Joseph Rowberry, motorman, employed by tho City Corporation, stated that on February 17 he was driving a tram from Newtown, bound for Thorndon Quay. After leaving Veitch and Alien's Corner, about 9.46 p.m.) ho noticed deceased coming across the street. The' tram was about 30 or 40 yards away from him when witness saw ac T cused first. He had his side to the car, and'was walking in a diagonal course across the line. Witness started the gong immediately the man came p sight, and, at the same time, started to wind,up his hand-brake. ; Until debased was within a few , yards of the tar he appeared quite clear of the lino. Then things "did not look too good," and witness.applied the first emergency brake. * i. , - . Tho Coroner: Then you anticipated a collision? Witness: No, I didn't anticipate a collision'. . '-' Continuing, witness stated that after he applied tho brako the corner of tho car struck deceased, who was apparently thrown clear of the line. AVitness brought the car to a standstill within a few yards. The car was going'about seven'or eight miles an hour. The Coroner: Did deceased pay any particular attention to the gong ? Did he look round?. Witness: No, he didn't look round. : The Coroner: Do you think ho knew the car was coming, : or do , you know ho heard it?—l thought the man must have heard the gong. The street was well lighted?— Yes. you apply your hand-brake?— ii'es. It eased the ; car up a little. Witness said he could seo deceased was seriously injured, after the car struck him. He was attended by two of .the tramways first-aid men. ,, . The Coroner: Can you give any reason why he did riot"near the car?—l was told afterwards he was very. deaf. Who told you that?— The sergeant at ihe police station. The Coroner: His son says the very opposite. Mr. O'Shea: Had deceased crossed the line, before-he.was struck?—l think he "had. .When he crossed the line, , was he going in such a direction as to make you -. think '• he would miss ■ the car ?—I made sure ho would miss,the car.

Did he alter his direction ?—No, I don't think he did. ■ . l

Philip Baker, conductor , on the car, said that there was very little traffic about when .the accident occurred. Witness heard tho gong going, and noticed that the car was being stopped. The going sounded continuously. Witness did. not see .'deceased when ho was jn front of the car. v \ Wm: ' Bennett, director of the Boys' Institute, said that ho was standing on tho corner of Ghuzuee Street on tho night .of the accident. He saw the car approach, and thought it was going at au hour. Thero was plenty of light about. Witness saw deceased just as he left the footpath. Ho was fiossiug the road in. a diagonal direction"."" Witness heard the niotorman lound tho gong. Deceased took no -jioiice. and he was almost 'across the line-before the car struck: him. , -- Witness thought he would be'oiear before the car came to him. :' Tbo car went at least'twelve yards after accused was struck. ~- ~ . -. ■ ' '.. . Coroner's Finding: Ah Accident. John Young, a-waterside worker, who also witnessed the-accident, said he agreed with'tho" evidence- given by the previous, .witness. . ■ .<.,-■ In giving his verdict, the Coroner said that the evidence showed that the deceased was a man of about, 6D. years of age. According to his son, he was a temperate man, ' and. in: possession of both his sight and hearing. It seemed extraordinary that- such. , an • accident should have happened, because the night was fairly.calm , and clear, and the,, street was well lighted. There was very little traffic, also. The. conclusion to; be drawn from the evidence was , ., that 'deceased' did not'see or hear the. approaching car. Why he. did not pee or hear it, it was impossible to say. {Two witnesses,!who were standing close by,. heard the' gong sounded, and had they been in tho same position as the deceased, could have got out of the .way. The motorman was going down the street at a moderate rate of speed, fend he was under the impression that thedeceased would got clear of'tho line; in fact, he thought he was clear. One of the other witnesses mado a. similar statement, ■ that he thought the man was. practically clear of tho line. Under thosp circumstances, it could not be said that any blame could be attached to tho motorman, • who-did. his best under the circumstances. ;Ho. sounded his gong, and when he saw the chance ,of an accident, applied his emergency irate. Unfortunately, the man was struck .before.he : got clear of the line, ffhe verdict was that _tho deceased" died on February'lß from injuries caused by ■being accidentally knocked down by a tramcar on February 17.