Boy Killed When Car And Truck Collided

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30839, 26 August 1965, Page 14

Boy Killed When Car And Truck Collided

Lindsay Howarth Morrison, aged 15, died on February 2 as the result of brain injury suffered in a collision in Carmen road while in a car apparently driven by Lynton McAusland, a student, of 134 A Stapleton road, Christchurch. This was the verdict returned by the Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell) when the inquest into the death of Morrison was concluded in the Coroner’s Court yesterday afternoon.

McAusland in evidence said about 6.30 p.m. that day he cycled to his brother’s home where, without his brother’s knowledge, he had taken his brother’s car.

He had then picked up Morrison and another youth, an Indian, and driven to the Templeton speedway. After leaving the speedway they had driven some distance and then changed drivers. He had driven until then. He did not remember who had taken over the driving and did not remember the accident. He had no driver’s licence but considered himself a competent driver. To the Coroner he said that there were three people in the car and there was no reason he knew of why he could not remember who was driving, though he had suffered concussion and other injuries. Dr. K. P. G. Mears, of Islington, said the dead youth was jammed between the left hand front seat and the front of the vehicle. Another youth was in the rear of the car and a third youth was not in the vehicle.

In answer to a question he said the dead youth’s position was consistent with his having been in the left seat and it was fair to assume that the third youth, an Indian, had been in the rear of the vehicle. Constable R. W. Kerr said the driver of the truck while at the accident scene had said he was driving his heavy

truck and trailer south along Carmen road.

The car had been travelling in the opposite direction, bad veered across the road and struck the trailer. To him it seemed McAusland had been the driver of the car. Struck By Car The Coroner found that Stanley Percival Barnett, aged 54, a taxi-driver, died on December 16, 1964, as the result of injuries sustained when he was hit by a car driven by Stanley Robert Cuthbertson. Cuthbertson said he had attended a Christmas party and consumed four whiskies and a number of beers. When travelling down Selwyn street he had reached a speed of up to 40 m.p.h. and had suddenly seen a car in front of him which his vehicle struck. Constable T. E. Stuart said that when he attended the accident scene all the lights on Barnett’s taxi were working except the right rear, which was damaged. In his opinion Barnett had been crushed between the rear of his taxi and Cuthbertson’s car.

Fall Caused Death The Coroner found that Lillian Emily Armstrong, aged 75, died on May 3 at Buiwood Hospital from bronchial pneumonia after injuries sustained in two falls some days previously. Sister Constance of the Sacred Name Community, Barbadoes street, said the woman had become very frail and on April 24 had fallen in the kitchen breaking an arm. A few days later she was found on the floor of her bedroom having suffered injuries to her left temple. It wasthought she had fallen out of bed and struck her head on a nearby dressing-table. Girl Run Over

The Coroner found that Adele Little, aged 18 months, had died on May 25 from injuries consistent with her having been run over by her father’s van at her home in Barters road, Templeton. Arnold Arthur Little said about 8 a.m. he had left his home and gone to his garage on the property, got in the van and backed out.

He had travelled at 3 m.p.h. and had not looked behind when he felt a bump.

On getting out of the van he had found his daughter lying on the driveway. He had not known she had followed him outside. Ran Into Bus Walter Byron Moody, aged 77, was found to have died in the Christchurch Hospital on May 13 from pneumonia following injuries he suffered when the car he was driving struck a stationary bus at Woodend some days before.