INJURIES PROVE FATAL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 142, 6 February 1939, Page 2

INJURIES PROVE FATAL

DEATH OF TRUCK DRIVER EVIDENCE AT INQUEST The injuries received by diaries Stanley Smith, single, aged 35, who was injured in an accident on Mr. D. Morrison's farm, proved fatal, the injured man dying on Saturdayi evening in the Opotiki Hospital. The inquest- concerning the fatality was held at the Opotiki Courthouse this afternoon before Mr. E. J. Short, district coroner. Constable Ratbie conducted proceedings on behalf of the police.

Dr. Mail, medical practitioner, who was the first witness, stated that at 10 a.m. on Tuesday last he was in-: formed that a man had been crushed by a lorry, and a few Seconds later that - the man was being conveyed to the hospital. When the injured man arrived at the hospital witness examined him and found that he had a fracture of the pelvis with evidence of internal injury. The X-ray showed a severe fracture of the front part of the pelvis on the left. That afternoon witness performed 1 an operation. which was partly to investigate the injury. After consultation with the deceased’s people witness decided to call a specialist who carried out a further operation, after - which deceased sank lower and lower, dying on the 4th. inst. at (j. 30 p.nt. The cause of death was shock, following on the injury. David M. Morrison, fanner, residing at Tirohanga, stated that at about 9.30 a.m. on. 31st. January, deceased, Charlie Smith, employed’ at driving a truck for Air. Reece, arrived at- his farm with a load of river shingle. The lorry was driven by deceased over a neighbour's property from Tablelands road. When the lorry arrived, witness told deceased he had expected, him to come up the track from the Tirohanga or Coast road as shingic was required at the place where they were making pig sties near the track at the bottom of the hill, about 30 yards from the milking shed where the lorry was then standing. Witness did not request deceased to drive the truck down the hill. Witness saw him look at the track) and get into the lorry. .Vs the track was a clay one and was greasy witness considered it dangerous to drive the lorry down the hill. Witness was about to tell deceased so, when the lorry commenced/ to come down the hill. The lorry had only been driven a few yards wlien it commenced to skid, and after skidding 1(> yards - it overturned once. Witness and some other men ran to hi.- assistance .and found him pinned across the upper parts of thoi legs, the upper part of the body being clear. Deceased was conscious and spoke to the men. Alter lifting the lorry from the deceased’s body witness immediately took him to the Opotiki Hospital.

Clement Thomas C 10-sswell. labourer. mu ployed by Mr. Reece, said thaton 31st. January, he Avas sent with deceased to assist in loading the lorry with river shingle- to take to Morrison's farm. The easiest- Avav to the farm Avas through Air. Young’s farm and that mad Avas taken. AA lien Avitness saw Avliere the shingle Avas to he tipped he thought it rather dangerous and said so to the driver. Air. Alorrison also told the driA'er that the track was greasy and that he thought it risky. Deceased said he Avould gi'e it a go. He had gone only a few yards Avhen the lorry commenced to si ij > sideways, skidding about- 10 yards and overturning. They found deceased lying underneath the cab, pinned across the upper portion of the legs. Deceased was conscious and asked Avitness to get him out. The lorry at the time wa.s loaded with her t wis'ii four and l fivi< tens of shingle.

Spencer David Cramp, labourer, residing at Calder’s, a slmremilker on Air. Alorrison’s farm, said that the deceased "as turning the truck round to the right to take a bend and the rear Avheels slid round to the left. The truck slid down a fairly steep bank for a. distance of about fifteen yards. AYlien about half >vay- down it- turned right over. Deceased tried to open the right hand door of the truck to jump out, hut avus not quick enough. AA’lien the truck came to rest, the Avheels Avere in the air. Deceased was pinned under the cab, lli's legs and hips Avcr’e under the cab and the rest of his body Avas out. The ive men lifted the truck enough to jet deceased out.

Albert. Edward Reece, carting cen-

tractor, said, he sent deceased cut to do a carting job on Tablelands. ' The job was to cart 10 yards of shingle to the farm owned by Mr. Morrison. He also sent Clem Crosswell to assist loading and unloading. Witness received a message at 9.39 a.m. on the same date, stating that the lorry had gone over a bank on Morrison's farm, and that deceased l was injured and receiving medical attention. Witness went to the scene cif the accident and saw the lorry lying upside-down, down a bank by a track. It was evident that the lorry had skidded cm the ,wet track and gone over the bank. Deceased was a- steady man and a good driver. The lorry was in good mechanical order and had a warrant of fitness.

Constable AY. R. Cooper. stated that he inspected the scene of the accident at Morrison’s farm, where deceased was injured when the truck turned over. The track the deceased drove the truck over- was of clay and had been newly formed and there was no metal on it. There was a- sharp turn at tlie top of the track and that was where the truck went over. Tho skid marks showed that the truck skidded about ten yards before overturning. The track was about eight feet wide. 'Pile truck appeared to be in good mechanical order and had double tyres at the hack in fairly good order. The cab was extensively damaged. The warrant of fitness certificate was in order. Tho coroner said that after hearing the evidence it was quite clear that it was a ease of inadvertence. Tho evidence showed deceased was a careful, driver. Imt apparently he thought he would give it a go. No blame was attachable to. anyone. The verdict was that deceased met his death on . February 4. tho cause of death being due to shock from severe internal injuries, sustained when the motor lorrv fell on him.