FATALITY AT MANGAITI.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5295, 4 July 1928, Page 2

FATALITY AT MANGAITI.

BOY COLLIDES WITH CAR.

WHEEL PASSES OVER BODY.

An accident in. which a Httle boy lost his life occurred at Mangaiti yesterday afternoon.

Passing the Mangaiti public school just as the children were coming, but, Mu Allen- Wight, of Te Aroha picked up several children and gave them a ride in his car as, far ,as the Mangaiti store, which is opposite the Mangaiti railway station. Then© he pulled up to allow a little girl and a boy named Kenneth Brink-ley, aged seven years, out of the car. -Just as Mr Wight stopped, a, large car, owned by a Thames garage and driven by Mr H. R. Bush, of Thames, and containing Messrs, F. E. Flatt (Paeroa), J. McCormick (Matatoki), W. E. G. Willy (Turua) —members of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board who were returning from the monthly meeting at Te Aroha—and also a representative of the “Gazette” and a representa.tlves,of an Auckland daily paper, crossed the railway line at Mangaiti, and was nearly opposite the store when the lad Brinkley ran out from behind JMr Wight’s can which wa.s in the act of moving off; "nd with his head down dived straight aci'othe read right in front of the oncoming, car.

Although travelling at a moderate speed*, there was no hope or time to miss the boy, with the result that lie was struck on the head by the lefthand sjde front lamp of the car, and was knocked down, the back wheel of the vehicle passing over his body. The car was pulled up in its own length, and the occupants quickly' got out, only to find that the boy' was, seriously injured. A doctor and the police. were telephoned for, and’Dr. Bennett, of Te Aroha, arrived on the scene within a quarter of an hour, but the lad had died eight minutes before h's arrival without regaining consciousness. An examination by the doctor show, ed that the boy had sustained a severe scalp wound, lacerated brain, crushed chest, and pulmonary haemorrhage. On the arrival of the police the body was taken to the morgue at Te Aroha.

Deceased was the second son of Mr and Mrs Walter Brinkley, farmer, of Mangaiti. After the .accident Messrs Bush and McCormick drove to the residence of Mr Brinkley, only to find that he and his wife were away at Thames for the day.