ACCIDENTAL DEATH VERDICT

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1948, Page 2

ACCIDENTAL DEATH VERDICT

Inquest on Greymouth Man

A verdict of accidental death was returned by the Coroner (Mr M. J. Fogarty) at an inquest yesterday in to the death of George Henry Gray, 77, retired, of Alexander Street, Greymouth. Gray was knocked down by a car in Tainui Street, on the night _of September 4, and died almost immediately. Mr W. D. Taylor, appeared for the driver of the car, and Mr A. M. Jamieson, for the relatives of deceased. Sergeant B. W. Wootton conducted the police case. According to Philip Digby James 18, clerk, of 5 Ida Street, Greymouth, he was driving a party back from the Reefton races on September 4. When crossing the railway line in Tainui Street, about 8.40 p.m., he was travelling at 20 to 25 miles an hour. While passing the Convent, he saw a man crossing the road on his right. “‘My father, who was in the car, called out, ‘Look out,’ and 1 applied the brakes, but the man was struck by the left-hand headlamp and bonnet of the car,” said James. He added that he stopped the car and say the man lying on the Toad. Visibility was good, and the road surface was dry. He was sober, and had had no drink all day. James said he had held a driver’s license for two years.

To Mr Taylor. James said the man had his coat collar up, and it was fairlv dark at the spot. Harry John Digby James, contractor, and father of the last witness corroborated his son’s evidence. SAW MAN STRUCK Ernest Percival Greenwood, railway guard, Greymouth, said he saw the car which was travelling about 25 miles an hour. He heard the screech of brakes, and noticed an elderly man in the headlights the car A second later the man was struck by the car. Greenwood added that the lighting of the street at the scene of the accident was bad. He knew that deceased was deaf and he did not think he was likely to have heard the car coming. Reginald Douglas McNaugnton, miner, Greymouth, who also witnessed the accident, said that in his opinion, the driver of the car was not at fault. It was an accident John Bruce Barber, miner, Dunollie, and a member of the St. John Ambulance. Brigade, said that when he examined deceased, he found ms pulse was just perceptible. Five minutes later it ceased. Twenty minutes after the accident the ambulance arrived, and a nurse found That the man was dead. “I asked the nurse if a doctoi came with her, and she said that Di. Nixon was on call. I had made several requests to bystanders to ring for a doctor, and I had no reason to believe that they failed to do so, said Barber. Dr. H. S. Rav said that oeath was due to shock, following severe head injuries. .