FATAL HEAD INJURIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 124, 16 August 1927, Page 9

FATAL HEAD INJURIES

WELLINGTON COLLISION Press Association. WELLINGTON, Monday. A remarkable incident which occurred in the early morning of August 5, after a motor-car, driven by James Hargreaves, collided with a city corporation milk cart, driven by William Patrek O'Gorman, was disclosed to-day at the inquest concerning the death of Victor Wilde Smith, aged 31. Deceased was an occupant of the car and died in hospital on August 10 as the result of injuries received. It was stated that although Smith had severe injuries to the head, including a bad fracture of the skull, he told his friends he was feeling all right and was able to walk away. He was found later in a Kilbirnie tramway shed. Smith was conscious when he was admitted to the hospital on August 5. After an operation he rallied for a few days, but died not long after a second operation. As it was possible there might be an action for negligence against the city council, the coroner, Mr. E. Page, S.M., said he would not comment on the evidence beyond saying that, apart from being on the wrong side of the road neither party appeared to be negligent! His verdict was that deceased died from injuries received in collision at Kilbirnie on August 5.