TRAM FATALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10603, 31 May 1920, Page 10

TRAM FATALITY

CORONER’S INQUEST. AIOTORAIAN NOT TO BLAME. An inquiry as to tho can.so of tho death of William Brown, SI years of age, tho victim of a tram accident on Ma>‘ 22nd, was held at # tho courthouse on Friday bv the coroner, Air W. G. Riddell, S.AI. Mr J. O’Shea (city solicitor) watched tho proceedings on behalf of the Wellington City Corporation. SeniorSergeant Kelly conducted the caso for the police. Dr. Salmon, house surgeon at the Wellington Hospital, stated that tho deceased was admitted to the hospital about 9 a.m. on the 22nd inst. He was suffering from shock, and had a superficial scalp wound about three inches long on tho right side of the head, anti * bruise on the right thigh. An X-ray examination showed that the femur was fractured. He Was suffering from acu'O bronchitis, which developed tho following day into pneumonia from which ho died on Wednesday morning. Be might have rv covered from the acute bronchitis, but having to lie up in bed caused it to develop into pneumonia. The cause of death was. pneumonia. Tho deceased remembered nothing about the accident.

Gcorgo Andrew Fowler, motorman, in the employ of the City Tramways Department, stated that on the morning of the 22nd inst. he was driving a 'tramcar pant tho corner of Hams street at about ton miles an hour. There was a motor-car in front ot him. He sounded his gong, and on tho vehicle moving out of tho way, ho saw the deceased some ten yards ahead, crossing tho road at an angle with his back to tho car. Witness again sounded his gong and put on tho emergency' brake and hand-brake. Somebody called out, and tho deceased took a half-turn to tho left. The car struck him just ns it came to a standstill, and he rolled on the ground. Witness kept the gong going, but deceased did not seem to hoar it. Ho helped to got the deceased out from under tho front of _ tlio car, and asked him if he was all right. Deceased renlied that ho was. George, Frederick Kennedy (tram conductor) and Bertie Brian (waterside worker) gave corroborative evidence.

William Lawrence Brown, clothing foreman to the Wellington Wopllen .Company, stated that the deceased was employed by the company- as a presser. He had had a had cold for some seven days before tbo accident, and his hearing and sight wore pot too good. Ho was also feeble on his feet, and would take some time to get away from in front of a car ten yards away. Tho coroner-stated that tho deceased had died, as shown by the medical evidence, from pneumonia, but the pneumonia was due to a certain extent to his having to go to_ tho hospital on account of the accident. No blame attached to Motorman Fowler, who' was proceeding at a moderate, pace and keeping a good look-out. His verdict was that tho deceased died from pneumonia, following upon injuries received in a,- tramway accident, and that no blapne attached to tho motorman.