THE WAIONGONA FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 211, 13 February 1915, Page 6

THE WAIONGONA FATALITY.

INQUEST BY CORONER. The coronial enquiry jiito the circumstances under which Alfred Edward Wit; lianis met his death at the hospital in consequence of a trap accident on the 24th January, was resumed yesterday at the Courthouse by Mr A. Crooke,. S.M.

'Sub-inspector Fouhy'watched on behalf of the police. Ernest Julian, a drover residing at Inglewood, said he knew deceased, who was manager of the Waiongona Creamery and whose duty it was to cart the cream to Inglewood daily. On Sunday, 24th January, he saw deceased Bitting on one of the cans driving towards Waiongona. There was no one else in the cart besides Williams. Deceased was quite sober. The accident must have happened about 500 or 600 yards away from where witness met accused; The roads iverc. good and the sides level. John E. Hutchen, laborer, stated' that he saw the horse and cart of deceased running away toward Waiongonal Witness went out and found deceased on the road about 300 yards from Mr Hunt's place. Williams was conscious and asked where the horse was, to which witness replied that the horse had gone home. Willims made no attempt! to get up. He had scratches on the face and arms, and blood was showing. There. were indications that deceased had been dragged for a few yards. Some other persons arrived and Williams wae removed to the side of. the road, subsequently being sent home in a trap. Dr. Whetter was summoned and Williams was' sent to the New Plymouth Hospital. To the coroner:' Witness could not say how long deceased retained consciousness. After he asked about the horse, he neither spoke nor moved while witness was with him.

Dr Walker stated that deceased was admitted to tho New Plymouth hospital at 4 p.m. on Sunday, January 24th, in a serious condition, having a fractured skull and paralysis of the lower half of the body, and both legs consequent on serious injury to the spinal cord. His condition became hopeless, and he died at 10 a.m. on the 30th. The immediate cause of death was inflammatory trouble, following his injuries. Obviously deceased had'fallen. o n bis head, probibly from a cart. Although conscious at intervals, deceased did not describe his accident, of which he probably knew nothing owing to concussion. The coroner said that although there was no evidence as to how tho accident happened it was clear that deceased fell from the cart. A verdict of accidental death was returned. I