ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

Evening Star, Issue 20134, 26 March 1929, Page 4

ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

CAR FATALITIES. The inquest was concluded at Christchurch into the death of Stephen James Johnston, of Dargaville, who died on February 21 in the Christchurch Hospital from injuries received the same evening, when he was knocked down by a motor car driven by Mrs Isabella Mabel Stanley, at '.lie corner of Belfast street and Manc'.ieiter street, Christchurch. Alexander Whisker, in evidence, said that he witnessed ibe accident. Two men were about to m.ss Belfast street, one being about a pace ahead ,of the other. He noticed one man step back when a motor car came round the corner from Manchcstw street. The car struck both men, and knocked them down. It then mounted the footpath, and ran along till it collided with a stationary oar, 60ft from where the men were struck. Later witness saw the driver, airs Stanley, assisted into the lounge of the Hotel Cecil. He heard her say several times, “They wouldn’t get out of my way. - ’ The car was travelling “ a good twentyfive miles an hour.” Constable Schrafft said he saw Mrs Stanley after the accident, She was lying on t. bed in the* hotel in an hysterical condition. Site said: “Tell me what happened? I did not see any man.” Afterwards she said, “I did not see the man until it was too late.” Sergeant Harrison said lie interviewed Mrs Stanley next day. She was crying, and said, “I, did not kill a man. No, I did not kill a man.” She deuej that site was driving fast. The coroner was informed bf the solicitor, Mr Sargent, that Airs Stanley would he unable to give evidence owing to her state of health. Mrs Helen Hum >hrev«, called by Air Sargent, said she saw the accident. The men seemed to hesitate in crossing the street. Mrs Stanley’s car was not travelling faster than ten miles an hour. Wit less said that after the accident she saw a car come out of Bel!art street at a fast rate. One of the men who had been knocked down by Airs Stanley’s car had been lying m the middle of the road. After the second car had passed the man was lying almost in the gutter. The coroner found that death was due to shock, associated with a fractured skull and laceration of the brain, caused by Jieing knocked down by a motor car driven by Isabella Alay Stanley. The other victim of the accident is still in hospital, and was unablo to give evidence. At an inquest at Te Aroba on the body of AVi AVaiti, wdio was killed in a motor collision on February 2, the coroner found that Antonio Dido, the driver of the car in which the deceased was a passenger, lost his presence of mind when another car, driven by Hurmester, emerged from the side of_ the road. Dido swerved to the right, ■whereas if he had kept a straight course or swerved to the left, the accident would probably have been avoided. However, there was no evidence of negligence. BENZINE RISKS. A verdict that death w-ns due to shock follow-!ng extensive burns was returned at the inquest at Hawera on the jjody of Eliza Shirtcliffe. a married woman, who died at the Hawera Hospital at 2 o’clock —an hour after admission last Alonday afternoon. Evidence was given that the deceased was found about 10.30 lying outside her home at Otakeho with her clothing almost completely burnt off her body, which w-as severely burned from tho ankles to the shoulders. She stated that she had been cleaning a dress with benzine in the vicinity of a copper fire. It was presumed by the police that after cleaning the dress the deceased threw the cloth used in the flames of tlie copper fire, and ns a result her clothing had caught fire. The jury added a rider desiring that public attention should be called to the danger of using benzine in proximity to lights or fires owing to its highly volatile nature. FOUND DYING. Andrew Watkinson, a middle-aged married man, with no family, was found lying seriously injured on the Rope road at the Blackball mine yesterday morning, lie did not recover consciousness, and died in _ the afternoon. Men were working within a few yards of AVatkinson, but knew nothing of the mishap, which is a mystery. INQUEST AT PURAKANUI. Alary Elizabeth Graham, single, aged twenty-six, residing with her parents at Purakanui, died suddenly yesterday morning. AVhile with her father at the milk lorrv she fainted, but, recovering quickly, went to her home, where slie became unconscious and died before I)r Edgar arrived from Port Chalmers. Mr J. B. Bartholomew-, S.AI. (coroner), held an inquest yesterday afternoon, when a verdict o,f death from heart disease was returned.