MAN’S DEATH IN ACCIDENT

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27309, 27 March 1954, Page 8

MAN’S DEATH IN ACCIDENT

INQUESTS CONCLUDED YESTERDAY A verdict that Ewan Stewart Mathieson. aged 53, died on February 3, 1954, from cerebral lacerations and fractures of the skull, suffered when the bicycle he was riding was involved in a collision with a car driven by Alick Ching, was returned by the Coroner (Mr E. B. E. Taylor), when the inquest into Mathieson’s death was completed yesterday. Alick Ching, a market gardener, said he was driving his brother’s car along High street At the intersection of High and Manchester streets he started to pass in front of a car and was nearly clear of it when a passenger said “Look out” and he felt a slight bump at the back of the car. He said he stopped and walked back to where a man was lying on the road, his legs still astride a bicycle. Constable Richard James Strachan said he was on duty at the intersection. He saw Ching’s car come up to the intersection. It was travelling between 15 and 20 miles an hour. Shortly afterwards he heard a crash. He had not seen a cyclist travelling along Manchester street. Dr. C. T. B. Pearson said that in his opinion the cause of death was cerebral lacerations and fractures of the skull. Death by Drowning A verdict that Sidney Edward Jameson, aged 73, was drowned at Sumner on January 19 was returned. The Coroner said there was no evidence as to how he got into the sea. Dr. G. C. T. Burns said in his opinion death was due to drowning. Child’s Death in Lake “This is another of those unfortunate cases which only go to show the danger of children not having been given an elementary knowledge of swimming,” *said the Coroner, when returning a verdict that Marsha Bele Bakes, aged 14, died on January 25 at Lake Bryndwr, the cause of death being asphyxia due to drowning. Averill Cooper, a schoolgirl, said that on January 25 the girl Bakes went with her to Lake Bryndwr for a swim. They entered a shallow part of the lake and she (witness) swam into deeper water. She had left the girl Bakes paddling in shallow water. When next she saw her she was clinging to a plank which was drifting into deeper water. She called out several times to her to let go of the plank but she did not. The last she saw of her was when the plank tipped up and she went under the water.

Attempts at rescuing the girl were described by David Groves, aged 16 a cycle mechanic. He said he was just leaving the lake after a swim when he heard a girl was drowning. He dived into the water ‘and swam some distance under water but* could not locate the girl. On diving again he located the girl and took her to the shore. Artificial respiration was applied and this was continued to the hospital. Mrs B. C. Smith also gave evidence of trying to locate the girl. The Coroner commended the efforts of the two persons who tried to effect a rescue. “The efforts of those people who attempted the rescue must be appreciated by the public,” he said.

At this stage the Coroner recalled Mrs Brophy. He asked her how the children were sleeping in the house. She began to reply that two of them were in cots when she broke down and had to be assisted from the Court. Margaret Patricia Yeoman, an assistant surgeon at the plastic unit, Burwood Hospital, described steps taken to save the life of Gregory Brophy, who had been admitted to the hospital suffering from severe burns and severe shock. Various treatments and operations were tried and although he showed improvement several times, he died on February 16, three days later. ■William Reid Strachan, an electrical inspector for the Municipal Electricity Department, said he found no evidence to suggest that the origin of the fire was electrical. The Coroner, in giving his verdict, praised the work of all who had assisted in attempting to rescue the children. They were worthy of commendation, he said. In accordance with medical evidence given, he found that Martin Brophy died on February 13, the cause of death being shock following burns, and that Gregory Brophy died on February 16, the cause of death being toxaemia from burns, the injuries in both cases resulting from the fact that the two boys were seriously burned in a fire on February 13.

Crew of Aircraft Killed.— British troops who reached the wreckage of the Lincoln bomber which crashed on Monday night while returning from a bombing mission against the Mau Mau terrorists reported yesterday that there were no survivors among the crew of five $