ELDERLY WOMAN'S DEATH.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20563, 3 June 1932, Page 8

ELDERLY WOMAN'S DEATH.

KNOCKED DOWN BY CAR. CORONER'S FINDING OF NEGLIGENCE. "In accordance with the evidence placed before me, I have como to the conclusion that the accident was due to the negligence cf the driver of the motor-car." Mr E. D. Mosley, Coroner, added the foregoing remark after bringing in his verdict at the inquest vesterdav afternoon into the death of Mary Gibson, a widow, 76 years of age." who lived at 2 South Crescent road, Spreydon. The Coroner found that Mrs Gibson died in Madras street on May Ist, 1932, as a result of injuries to the head and shock, received when she was knocked over at the intersection of Oxford terrace and Madras street by a motor-car driven by Colin Campbell. Sub-Inspector G. 13. Edwards conducted the proceedings ior the police, iind both the relatives of the deceased and the driver of the car were represented by counsel. Constable W. J. Mason gave evidence as to the injuries suffered bv Mrs Gibson. She had bled profusely from a cut in the back of the head, and from tho nose and mouth. There was an injury also to the right shin. Eric Noel Bissett, grocer's assistant, called bv counsel for the driver of the ear, said that he was standing on the ■ steps of tho Baptist Church when the accident occurred. The car was going at an ordinarv speed, lie turned to talk to a friend, nnd the noxt thing lie heard was the noise of the impact. The car appeared to be on its correct side. To the sub-inspector: The car did not appear to be well in toward the left-hand kerb. He did not knew whether or r.ot there wo = a car parked on the church <.ide of the street. Daughter's Evidence. Agnes Gibson, daughter cf the deceased, living at 2 South Crescent road, cprevdoi!, said that with her mother she lcit home at about 6 p.m. on May Ist to attend the evening service at the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church. The time was 6.53 when thev reached the Edmonds' Clock Tower. Witness and her mother stepped off the kerb to Madras street, witness being on the left side. Her mother called out, after they had walked a few paces. "Oh, mind that car." Witness glanced to the left and stepped back, and theVar seemed to swish post her. the wind made by it blowing her coat open. When witness looked to the right again, her I mother had disappeared. To tho sub-inspector: They had gone only four cr fivo steps from the kcrbing around the clock tower plot when the car went past. Tho car travelled half-way down the length of the church before stopping, carrying Mrs Gibson with it. • Witness told the driver that he was travelling at forty miles an hour. He replied that he was not travelling too fast. A in the crowd agreed with her in her | statement as to the speed. Mrs Gibson was active and in full possession of her faculties.

To counsel, witness snid thnt the car came up Madras street on its wrong side and bore over to tho left after the impact, ft would be fairer to sav that the car was going very fnst than to say 40 mile* nn hour. Thero were some ears parked nn tho cast side of Madras street. Witness afterward* bnd a feeling that the eer had no lights. Question of Speed. Harold White, hotel emplnyece, paid that he was walking north along Madras street on tho west side. From the south-west corner at Chester street he saw a motor-car going south. It was travelling more to. the right-hand side of the road. Witness was no judge of speed, but he thought it was going fnßt. As it neared Oxford terrace it went further to the right. Witness saw the two women. They had gone about seven or eight feet from the kerbing when the car seemed to straighten up. One of the women stepped back, then forward again. It appeared to him that both were struck. Witness helped to extricate Mrs Gibson from under the car. The driver asked him to make sure that there was no liquor on him. Witness could not find any trace of liquor. The car was lighted. To counsel: After a discussion about the speed the driver said that any mechanic could prove that his car would not. do more than 20 miles an hour. Stanley James Snedden, plumber, 39 Leighton street, Richmond, said ho was crossing Madras street, with his wife, from the east, when a car suddenly appeared. "Witness stopped his wife and glanced across the road to see how the two women on the other side were getting on. It was a surprise to him that both of them were not struck. Witness thought the car was travelling at about 30 miles an hour. He though that the brakes were applied after the accident. He did not hear the horn sounded. Thero was plenty of room for the car to get past behind witness —some 14 paces. Witnes told the driver that he was going "too d— fast."

Driver's Statement. Constable W. Y. Ward said that he interviewed, the driver of the car, Colin Campbell, and took measurements at the scene of the afccident. The point of impact was 011 the right-hand side of the centrc-line of the road. Campbell, in his statement to the constable, said that he was travelling on his correct side at from 15 to 20 miles an hour. He slowed down to about 15 miles an hour at the intersection. Ernest Eeid, of 150 Brougham street, called by counsel for Campbell, said that he thought the car was travelling at about 20 miles an hour. The sub-inspector said that Campbell had been warned to attend the inquest. It was a question for the Coroner to decide whether his evidence should be heard. Counsel, in reply to the Coroner, said that lie had no wish for Campbell to be called. "In my opinion it would not be advisable to call him," remarked the Coroner, who then brought in his verdict.