HILLSBOROUGH FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1917, Page 6

HILLSBOROUGH FATALITY.

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. The adjourned inquest touching the death of the little boy Leslie Charles Taylor Upson, aged five years and niae months, who was run over by a motor lorry at Hillsborough on Monday last, was continued at the Magistrate's Court cn Saturday, before Mr. A. Crooko (coroner).

Ilenry Charles Bint, 13 years of age, said he was returning from school at about 4 p.m. on Monday last, when the Bell Block dairy lorry came along Egmont Road, driven by Mr. Thomas French. He ran and got on the back o: the lorry, and a little way along the road saw three boys, including deceased, walking along the road in front of the, lorry. When the lorry was passing they rail to get on it. Two succeeded, and deceased caught hold of the side of the lorry in front of the right back wheel, lield on with both hands, and ran with the lorry for some distance and then pulled himself up to get on the lorry. The deceased then let go with one hand. Witness, on seeing that, called out to the driver to stop, and as lie looked again he saw deceased let go and fall under the wheel. He next saw deceased lying on the road some distance back. The lorry was pulled up and witness went for assistance. He and other children had often ridden on the same lorry, but he had never seen deceased riding on it. Thomas French, motor lorry driver, deposed as to driving along Egmont road between 3.30 and 4 p.m. on the day in question, and passing some children on the Mutton Track. He turned round and saw the last witness riding on the lorry alone. Further along the road he caught up to three boys. The lorry was not travelling more than 10 miles an hour. When next he looked round Bint and another boy were on the lorry, and, the first-named was helping one of deceased's brothers to get up. After looking ahead to the road he again turned, but could not see deceased through the window of the cab, and was about to look round the |ide of the cab when someone called out. He stopped the lorry immediately and asked what was the matter, and was told that lie had run over a little boy. He saw deceased lying on the wheel track about twenty yards in the rear of the lorry. He ran and picked him up. He was lying on his side with his head towards the lorry, bleeding profusely from one ear, and it was evident that the wheel had passed over the lower part of the skull and jaw. There were no signs of life. The body was removed to the side of the road, and later to his father's house. The window in the cab did not allow of a clear view of the whole of the back of the lorry.

To the Coroner: There was' not very much much risk in boys getting on the lorry as long as they got on the back and not at the side. He had often warned deceased and his brother about running close alongside, but the smaller boys had not attempted to get on the lorry before. It was very difficult to prevent lorry riding, which was a perfect nuisance on the runs in and out of town and near schools, but in future he would take a whip to the boys. Frank Herbert Upson, aged 7 years S months, gave corroborative evidence, and said that after deceased had held on for some lime he had tired and started to cry and then let go. He and deceased went to the side of the lorry, but witness' twin brother, Albert, and the other boy climbed on the back.

The coroner pointed out to the hoy the danger of the practice, and told him that lie must keep off moving vehicles in future, and the little boy tearfully gave a ready promise to do so. Constable G. H. Hadler gave formal evidence as to deceased's injuries and the scene of the accident. The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.