"HIT AND RUN"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 69, 18 September 1930, Page 11

"HIT AND RUN"

MAN FATALLY INJUBED

INQUEST ON VICTIM

"It is not necessary for the Court to express an opinion as to the conduct of the driver," said the Coroner (Mr. J. S. Barton) iv the Magistrate's Court CO-day at, an- inquost concerning the death of John 'M'lnnes, a wharf labourer, who-died, on 7th September as a result .of. injuries received through being, struck by a inotor-eav in Jervois quay on the 16th August. Sub-Inspector Lopdell said that the driver of the car had not been found.

After the evidence had been heard tho Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased died from head injuries, including lacerations of the brain, sustained by being knocked down by a motor-ear in Jervois quay, the driver of the. car being unknown.

Dn.Marjr Coutts said that M'lnnes was admitted to the Hospital in an unconscious condition. An operation was.performed almost immediately, and, although the man seemed to improve, he never regained consciousness and died on the 7th September. Death was due to" a fracture of the base, of the skull'and injury" to the brain.

.-•■ William' Smith,-carrier, said that on the 16th August, at about 6.15 p.m., he was standing on the Queen's Wharf when he 'heard a thud on Jervois quay. He' turned- and saw the lights of a motor-car.- He rushed across and found a man, lying bleeding on the roadway near the tram lines. He lushed away to call the ambulance.

;.-. John.O'Grady said that on the night of .-th*'.accident he. was getting into his ear, v which was parked iv Jervois quay, when he saw a man knocked down by a car. The man was crossing the road.-.at the time, and scorned to hesitate. The car was travelling between. 15 and 20 miles an hour. After it struek_.tb.e man it proceeded about fifty yards up the side and then stopped. A'man'came up to the scene of tho accident,1, and witness said, "This man is nearly dead.'-' The man did not reply, 'but went back to the car.

Constable "Worsley said that when he •'arrived ■on tho scene of the accident he inquired for tho driver of the car. A car about fifty yards away was beginning to move off, and on: witness being told it was tho offending car ho proceeded to follow it. The ear looked like a, yellow three-seafcer on-e ; and when it got as far as the Fire Brigade Station is disappeared. He could not see the number-plates.