DEATH OF CHINESE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 175, 25 July 1936, Page 14

DEATH OF CHINESE.

MOTORIST'S CONDUCT. "CALLOUS IN THE EXTREME." CORONER NOT SATISFIED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Friday. "I am bound to say I am far from satisfied with the evidence of Scott— quite probably, I think, he has not told the Court all lie knows. He was callous in the extreme to a man found seriously injured 011 the road, and his conduct in removing the man from the scene of the accident and dumping him unattended while he himself went to the pictures calls for the most severe condemnation," said the district coroner at the conclusion of the inquest to-day into the death of a Chinese, Sue Dick Kee, aged 75. Kee was found on the highway between Otaki - and Tc Horo 011 June C, apparently suffering from in- 1 juries received through being struck by a motor vehicle, from which he died ! later. I

The doctor at the hospital to which Kee was admitted said that the cause of death was cerebral haemorrhage. Dr. Milne, of Otaki, said he was called to a hill beyond the Otaki bridge, but when he arrived there he could find 110 injured person. Later Kee was brought to his surgery by several Chinese.

]\r. A. Richards, a farmhand, said he was cycling along the highway when he saw a ear driven by Whiti Scott, a teacher at the Te Horo school, stop at the edge of the bitumen. Witness went past about 20 yards. Ho then saw a man standing at the edge of the bitumen who called to him. Witness went over and saw Scott standing over a Chinese, who was lying with his head on the bitumen. Scott seemed slightlyexcited and asked witness to stop the next car to get a doctor.

Arthur Taylor gave evidence of being stopped by Scott. Witness on learning what was required went to Otaki to inform a doctor and the police. It was three-quarters of an hour before he returned to the scene of the accident and ho then found that the car and the injured man had gone.

Frank Leonard Askew, a baker, said he discovered Kec outside his shop, supporting himself against a verandah pole. Ho was dazed, and his face was covered "with blood. Witness did not know how he had reached the shop. Even a casual observer would realise that Keo was badly hurt, and anyone bringing him to the shop could also easily have taken him to the chcmist near by. Fred Kume, a market gardener, said that Kce had told him in Chinese that he had been knocked down by a ear in which there was only one man, who had gone.

Schoolteacher's Story. William White Scott, aged 56, school teacher at To Horo, • gavo evidence that he spent tho day at the Otaki races, leaving at 5 p.m. He went to a garage to repair a flickering light, and had drinks with some friends at a hotel. He left for home at about 0.30, and' anyone stating that lie left at 7 p.m. was labouring under a misapprehension. On the way home ho saw something dark on the road, and perceived that it was a body. He stopped, and found Kee, knocked out. He sent Taylor for a doctor. While lio was waiting Kee got up and witness assisted him to walk to the cur, Kee did not appear to be in a serious condition. Witness decided to take him to Otaki to a chemist. The Chinese got out of the car unaided, having 10 or 15 yards to walk to tho chemist's. To the coroner, witness said that if Kee had been a white man, he would have done just the same. It did not occur to him to tell the police. He had not had more than five drinks that day.

The Coroner: Remembering again tlmt yon are on oath, will you assure the Court that you are telling everything you know? You are keeping nothing back? Witness: I have told everything I know.

The Coroner: You left an injured man without assistance? You thought no more about the man, but went to the pictures and enjoyed yourself, forgetting about him. ' Witness: To put it crudely, I suppose that is about it. The Coroner: lam going to put a very pointed question. Do you think your car hit the Chinese? Witness: I do not. The coroner returned a verdict that Kee's death followed being knocked down by a car, and he then made the comments already quoted.