KILLED BY LORRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 440, 23 August 1928, Page 11

KILLED BY LORRY

DRIVER NOT TO BLAME VERDICT AT INQUEST “Accidental death” was the verdict returned by the Coroner, Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., at an inquest held today on Robert Carnegie, who dic'd in hospital on July 30 through severe cerebral contusion following a blow on the head received when he was run over by a motor-truck in the Great South Road. Manfred Kew. a carrier, said that lie was driving his lorry along the Great South Road at about 11 miles an hour. Owing to the poor visibility he did not see anything when he pulled on to the tram lines to pass a parked vehicle. Ho suddenly saw a figun three feet ahead and was unable to avoid a collision. When he descended to assist he saw a second man had apparently been knocked down. Corroborative evidence in regard tithe lorry’s speed was given by two other witnesses, both of them remarking on the danger of Carnegie’s posii tion in the middle of the road. They said the men were bending down apparently fixing the tramway points, and their dark coats were difficult to distinguish against the dark road. The coroner said it was unfortunate that Carnegie and his companion had no light. Mr. R. H. Mackay, who appeared for the City Council, said provision was made for a lamp when men were working at night. The Coroner: A driver could hardly anticipate men would be on the road at that time, and since they were wearing dark coats it would be easy to drive on without seeing them. 1 cannot find any negligence on the part of the lorry driver.