THE AUCLAND TRAM ACCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7740, 16 February 1905, Page 2

THE AUCLAND TRAM ACCIDENT.

1 OPKXIKO OF TIIF. INQIKBT I (Per Press Assodutlon.) AICKLANI), Fob, 15. To-day Ihe Coroner openi<d an i»<iuir,v into the fatui' collision I**twten a 'bus anil a tinmen- on Monday last. Sergeant Hendry roquested that the Jury should vixit the scene of the accident and inspect tin; ruins of thu 'bus and also the car. The Coroner then arranged that the inquest should be held on the 2nd pros.

Dr. Hnrdie Niel sahl that on Monday lust, at uljoul quarter past six p.in,, he was driving down Symond* Stiv?ct towards St. Paul's Church. and when ncur the Caledonian Hotel he heard a cruMb in the rliruitlon ol Eust Street. Looking backwui'ds he saw a 'nus being driven along In front of a car in a cloud of dust. When he got up to the car be saw thu deceased lying under? the car in contact with the back wheels, but not in any way injured by them. She had passed under the fore part of the cur, and the front wheels must have fi»>nc over her. Witnoss descrltted on paper how he found Mrs Foster's body, and ventured to express an opinion as to how it tamo when, he found it. I Sergeant Ilcndry : I understood, Mr Coroner, that Dr. Ilardle Kiel was only going to give evidence of the cause of death. 1 have" very great objection to huvc at present any other evidence from hiin, and it is not des4nible at the present stage to have from Dr. Hurdle N!el any evidence of the circumstances surrounding the accident. The ICoroner : lie cannot, glva .theui^ | "r. Hurdle Niel I hen made an examination of the body of JUrs Foster in the hospital mortuary. On | returning to court he said the skull wus fractured in two places. The fracture appeared to have boon caused by a crushing movement of the car, ibut he was satisfied that the wheels of the car did not go over the skull. |The left arm was crushed at the elbow, evidently by the car wheel. ( There were several bruises and abrasions on the left part of the chest, ,but no other purt of the body had ,wheel marks ujion it. 'ilie cause of death was fracture of the skull—an injury such as could have been received by pawing under the car. The body was very much mangled. I A juryman uskod the Coroner if tho jury brought in a verdict suggesting any steps that might be tuken, would their verdict lie given I effect to. He was, he suid, a member of the Jury which inquired into the cause of the deaths of the victims of the Kiagsland tram accident. Then recommendations were made by the jury, and these had not been 'given effect to. The jury came there to hold an inquiry, and it was useless to do so if no effect were given to their verdict, and no notice taken of It.

I The Coroner, in reply, said the verdict fould be received, and if the jury liked to add a rider they coujd do so upon their verdict; however other proceedings might or might not bo tuken.

The inquest w«s then adjourned,