FATAL ACCIDENT-AN INQUEST

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 67, 17 September 1917, Page 8

FATAL ACCIDENT-AN INQUEST

An enquiry into the circumstances of the death of the ' five-year-old child Gordon Challis, who was knocked down by a motor-car in Molesworth-street on Friday afternoon, was held before the Coroner (Mr S. E. M'Carthy, S.M.) today. The deceased was the only child of Christopher George Challis, a returned soldier, and at present employed as a storeman by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for the parents of the child, Mr. A. Gray, K.C., for Percy Withers (driver of the car), and Mr. G. G. G. Watson for the owner of the car, Mr Walter Johnston.

Medical evidence , was given by Dr. Laurence C. Mayal, house-surgeon at the Wellington Hospital, who stated that the child was admitted to the institution at about 5.15 -o'clock on the evening of .Friday last. He was then suffering acuite1y internally, and died soon after midnight from shook and internal hemorrhage.

In answer to Mr. Gray, -witness stated that he was unable to say whether or not anything passed over the child's body.

Percy Withers stated that he was employed as driver to Mr. Walter Johnston, of Hobson-street. On the day of the accident he was driving the car, which contained Mr. A-rtthur Lyther, down Moles-worth-street, in the direction of Lamb-ton-quay. He was travelling at the rate of about 18 miles an hour. On nearing Staples' Brewery he saw a child about 15 to 20 yards ahead of him. The child was running towards the brewery-side in a slanting direction. He sounded the horn, and put the brakes on. The car immediately decreased its speed, and tile child gave witness the impression that ihe was going to atop. AVitness relieved the brakes in order to get round in front of the child. The latter moved towards the footpath. The car ran in front of the child, a front and back wheel going on to the footpath. The car struck a verandah post. The front part of the car missed the child, and witness attempted to avoid the post. At this time the child was near the car, and witness accordingly jammed on the brakes. When he looked round he saw the little fellow lying near the back wheel. He was unable to £ay how the child came to be injured; he was certain no portion of the car passed over the body. In his opinion the back mudguard must have struck the child. (Proceeding.) ' -