MOTOR FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1917, Page 7

MOTOR FATALITY.

ADJOURNED INQUEST. Tlje adjourned inquiry jato tlie eircuuietawcos surromujiog the death of th« boy Barry Hancock, son. of Mr. H. E, Hancock, of Junction Eoad, Maugorei, who died from injuries received through being knocked down by a motor car, was concluded yesterday, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., district, -coroner. Sergeant Trehey represented the police. Dt. Walker, superintendent of the New Plymouth Hospital, said deceased was admitted to the hospital at 1125 a.m. on December 12. His father, who brought the boy in said 'he had been knocked down by a motor car a short time before. The child was obviously moribund, and only lived five minutes after admission. There were extensive abrasions on the left leg and scratches on the right arm. There were no broken bones in the trunk or limbs, but the symptoms indicated fracture of the base of the skull, witli intracranial hemorrhage, which was the cause of death. In reply to the coroner witness said the appearance of the body indicated that the wheels o| the car had not passed over it. Samuel A. J. Siynter, farmer, Tarata, deposed that at about 11 a.m, on the 12th inst. he wa» driving his motor car along the Junction road towards New Plymouth. His brother (Sidney Paynter) and two ladies were in the car with the witness. They overtook a gig driven by two ladies on the same road. After passing the gig two, children were seen walking along the road in the same direction as the car was going in. One of the children was the deceased. The children were about 100 yards away when witness first saw them. He was travelling about 15 to 20 miles an hour. He sounded the horn when about 50 yards from the boys, who were then still walking in the centre of the road. One of the children (deceased) went to the right of the road and the; other boy went to the left. The smaller boy attempted to cross the road when witness was about five yards distant from him. The front of the car struck the boy and knocked him down. The car was immediately stopped, and the body of deceased was lying about ten yards behind on the middlg of the road. He was unconscious, and the appearance of the body suggested he had been grazed by the car. Witness called deceased's father who was working in a paddock close to the road. The body was conveyed to Dr. Blacklcy's surgeryvand on the doctor's orders was taken to the hospital. In reply to the coroner, witness said as soon as deceased commenced to cross the road he applied the brakes of his car. He could not say whether the other boy beckoned to,deceased. Witness corild not say why deceased crossed. The ca: pulled up in about 12 to 15 yards after applying the brakes. There were two brakes on the car, a foot brake and a hand-brake.

The coroner: A car travelling only 15 to 20 miles on hour ought to have •been pulled up in less than 12 or 15 yards. Sidney Paynter, a brother of the previous witness, gave corroborative evidence.

Olive Emma Shoemark, domestic, residing at Albert road, said that at about 11 a.m. on December 12 she was driving along the Junction road in a gig with her sister. A motor car in which were two men and two ladies passed the gig going in the direction of New Plymouth. Samuel Paynter was driving the car, which was going fairly slowly when it passed the gig. Witness saw two boys walking on the middle' of the road in front of the motor car, two or three chains, or perhaps more, away from the car. Witness gave corroborative evidence as to the two boys separating and going one to either side of the road. She did not hear any horn sounded after the motor passed the gig. Witness was watching some men working in the paddocks and did not actually see the accident. Deceased's body was lying about eight or nine yards behind the car when it stopped. Witness saw the elder boy turn round before the two separated.

Trevor Hancock, brother of deceased] eight years of age, gave an account of how the accident happened. He said he did not see a motor ear coining along the road or hear a horn sounded. He was walking at the side of the road and his brother was on the middle of the roßd. Deceased afterwards went on to the other side of the road, Jsut he did not know why when he saw the car coining he told his brother to stay on the side of the road where he was. The car was very close and deceased ran as fast as he could across tjie road towards witness. He saw the car knock his brother down. He did not know why his brother crossed the road.

The coroner said that the story of the little b,oy was apparently a clear account of how the accident happened. Ho thought that the little boy had most likely misunderstood what his brother said and instead of staying on the eide of the road had run across. There was a little doubt as to whether a warning was sounded before the car reached the boy. The driver of the ear and his brother said the horn was sounded, but the little boy had said he did not hear a horn sounded nor did the witness Miss Shoemark hear any warning; but she had said she was not paying much attention at the time. } The coroner said he was satisfied that when the boy started to cross the road the driver of the car did •»11 he could to avoid an accident. He therefore found that deceased met his death by being accidentally knocked down by a motor car, but thai there was no blame attachable to anvone.