Coroner’s Court CYCLISTS DEATH AFTER BEING HIT BY CAR

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30578, 22 October 1964, Page 9

Coroner’s Court CYCLISTS DEATH AFTER BEING HIT BY CAR

The Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell) found in the Coroner’s Court yesterday that Lester Henry Craythorne, aged 57, died in an ambulance going to the Christchurch Hospital on July 3, the cause of death being shock and hemorrhage associated with multiple fractures and other injuries suffered when he was knocked off his cycle by a car driven by John Hamilton Brown. Brown, a salesman, said that at 6.35 p.m. he was driving north in Carmen road at a speed of about 40 miles an hour. A car came towards him with its lights on full. He flashed his lights twice before they were dipped. He then saw a small red light of a cycle in front of the car. The cyclist wobbled z and swerved towards the middle of the road. The witness said he applied his brakes, but could not avoid the cyclist. The windscreen of his car was shattered. He found the cyclist lying in the grass at the side of the road. lan Alexander Wright, a salesman, said he was driving south in Carmen road when he saw the left head-light of an approaching car go out. The witness said he was sure his lights were on dip. He did not stop because he did not know there had been a fatal accident until he read the newspaper the next day. Sergeant J. E. O’Regan and Constable G. A. Lithgow appeared for the police at the inquests. Post-mortem examinations were conducted by Dr. P. A. E. Smith and Dr. L. L. Treadgold. STRUCK BY TRUCK Patrick Joseph McGilligan, aged 68, was found to have died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on July 16, the cause of death being cerebral lacerations and contusions associated with bronchopneu.monia.

Reginald Thomas Barker, a truck driver, said that about 3 p.m. on July 15 he was driving at the corner of Gloucester street and Latimer square when he saw McGilligan in front of his truck with his hands in the air. McGilligan appeared to move backwards. Cecilia Manuel, a widow, said that McGilligan appeared to be preoccupied and did not look in any direction when crossing the road. POISONING Colin Hector Morrison, aged 46, was found to have died at the Christchurch Hospital on June 26, the cause of death being barbiturate poisoning. Death from asphyxia as a result of barbiturate poisoning was found to have caused the death of Alice Cree Dunlop, aged 63, at her home at 76 Smith street on July 26. Dr. D. J. Dobson said in evidence that it was possible that Mrs Dunlop took an excessive number of sleeping tablets by mistake. DIED AFTER OPERATION Joseph Thomas Woolley, aged 74, was found to have died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on July 30, the cause of death being heart failure after an operation. SUICIDE Elsie Collender, aged 59, was found to have committed suicide by hanging at her home at 37 Waltham road on July 31. Josiah Maurice Eales, aged 58, was found to have committed suicide by hanging at his. home at 67 Wai-iti terrace on July 25. Mr K. J. McMenamin appeared for Eales’s widow. Claude Alfred James Harris, aged 66, was found to have committed suicide in the garage of his home at 84 Kingsford street on July 29, the cause of death being a gunshot wound.