THE LATE ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4553, 23 October 1875, Page 2

THE LATE ACCIDENT.

Au inquest was held yesterday, in the Forester’s Arms Hotel, before Dr. Johnson, coroner, and a jury, on* the body of the child, George Wm, Styles, who was run over by a butcher’s cart in Ghuznee-street, on Thursday. Dr. France deposed to attending the child about ten minutes after the accident had taken place. He found the base of the skull fractured, and from the appearance of the face judged that the wheel of the cart must have passed behind the ear. Heath was instantaneous. Emily Schrader stated that Benge, the butcher, had just served her with meat previous to the accident. The cart was in Little Taranaki-street, and her house was situated at the comer. Benge put up the tail-board, and the horse went on without being told, and when last she saw Benge he was walking by the side of the cart. Amelia Styles, a little girl about five years of age, and sister of deceased, made a statement (not upon oath), from which it appeared that her brother was playing at the comer at the time of the accident, and that when the horse and cart in taming the corner ran over her brother, the butcher was at the fence talking to Mrs. Schrader. Richard Douglas Benge, salesman for Messrs. Pollock and Young, butchers, deposed that he did not see the child. He had just served Mrs. Schrader, and told his horse to go on. He had one hand on the cart, while his face was turned to Mrs. Schrader, when he heard a scream from the child, Amelia Styles. On looking round he discovered the deceased at his feet* He picked him up, finding that he was bleeding, and not knowing to whom he belonged, took him inside Mrs. Schrader’s gate. Whilst there the child’s mother came up and took it away. He was not in the habit of walking at the horse’s head unless he was going a considerable distance, because the horse was quiet, and knew the houses to stop at. Dr. Johnston pointed out—first, that mother’s were to blame for allowing their children to play in the streets of a town where there was so much horse traffic ; and secondly, though it might be the custom of butchers’ to adopt the course stated in the evidence of the last witness, yet he thought it was an improper custom, and one which should not be allowed. These were points upon which the jury would have to decide. Alter a brief consultation, the jury returned a verdict of “ accidental death.”