FOUND 'DEAD 'AT THE WHEEL

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20987, 16 October 1933, Page 10

FOUND 'DEAD 'AT THE WHEEL

TRAGEDY AT AUCKLAND \ TAXI DRIVER ASSAULTED irRISo ASSOCIATES TILSuKAU ) AUCKLAND, October 15. Dying from a blow on the head, delivered by an unknown assailant, a taxi-cab driver was found at the wheel of his cab by a milkman who was delivering milk in Mount Roskill shortly before 6 o'clock this morning. There was no sign of a struggle, nor of an implement with which the blow was struck. The injured man was rushed to the Auckland hospital, but died as he was being admitted. The victim was James Blair, aged 53, of Newton, a married man with three children, and employed by the Chess Taxi Cabs. He was an auxiliary driver, engaged on night duty. When the discovery was made the taxi was standing in Kings road, olt Dominion road, and near the corner of Parua street, formerly known as Lovers' lane. The vehicle was standing in a normal position at the left side of the road, which has houses on each side, and at fairly close intervals for its entire length. It is thought that the attack was made about two hours before the discovery, as the taxi was wet with dew. as though it had been standing for some time. The engine had stopped, but the taxi meter was still ticking. It registered 18s. The motive for the crime has not yet been ascertained with any degree of deftniteness. Blair had some money in his possession when found, but it is not known whether he had a further sum which his assailant took. His entry book showed 37s worth of work done, but that is not held to indicate that he had 37s in cash on his person when the attack took place.

Telephone Call at 3.40 a.m. It is believed that the assailant was a "fare" who hailed Blair in the street. It is a matter of routine for the taxi drivers to ring their central ' office on returning (o a stand after completing a job, and Blair rang his office about 3.40 this morning, having then returned to the stand in upper Queen street. From that time onward nothing more was heard of him until he was found. No one in the street where the taxi was found had any idea of the tragic happening until they were awakened by the police, who arrived in force and immediately began an intensive investigation, including the search for a weapon. No arrest has been made and no weapon found. Although residents nearbv stated <r.cy heard nothing, Mr J. Beits, who lives on the other side of the road, and slightly beyond the immediate scene recalled that he had heard running footsteps during the early morning. He said his wife awakened him and told him to listen. "It was some time between midnight and 4 o'clock," said Mr Belts. "The footsteps were definitely running, and they were those of only one person. They were those of a man I could swear they were running toward Dominion road, and whoever it was, was running on the footpath past my house." The milkman who made the discovery was Mr Hedley Davis, of Mount Roskill. He telephoned the police and a doctor From the natural position in which the car had pulled up it is thought that it was in the act of beingstopped, or had just stopped as Blair was struck. The fact that the wound was in the back of Blair's head indicates that he did not have time even to turn round. In the opinion of Mrs Llair, the wife of the dead man, her husband s assailant was probably someone who had not the money with which o pay his fare, and sought to evade his responsibility by attacking the driver and making off