A CHILD'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 75, 29 March 1926, Page 10

A CHILD'S DEATH

WAS RESPONSIBLE?

MYSTERIOUS ACCIDENT

AN UNIDENTIFIED VEHICLE,

"The number of fast-moving vehicles in our streets ie rapidly Increasing. lam not aware whether instruction as vo the dangers attending such traffic is given to the young children in the public schools, but I think \t is desirable .that instruction on this matter should be given."

The above remarks were made by the Coroner (Mr. E. Page, S.M.), at the inquest to-day on Paul Jones, aged 5, who died from injuries received in Vivian street on the afternoon of Bth March. Chief-Detecrtive Ward conducted the inquest.

Dr. P. P.' Lynch, pathologist at the Wellington Hospital, said that on 9th March he conducted a post-mortem examination of the deceased. In his opinion, death was due to haemorrhage following severe injuries, probably caused by the child having been run ever by a vehicle.

George Jones, the father of the deceased, said that the child was five years olf and attended a kindergarten 'school in Aro street. The boy should i»ot have^ been in Vivian street if he had been returning straight home after ■chool.

George M'Petridge, a schoolboy, Baid he : saw the deceased in "Vivian 'street walking towards Cuba street on jthe footpath. . A few minutes later •he saw him being carried off the road. y.There was a motor-lorry or a motorcar moving down Vivian street towards Cuba street. Witness could not tell the make or colour of the vehicle.

' Herbert Burgess, garage proprietor, In business in Vivian strict, said that about 4.15 p.m. he was standing on the footpath outside the garage when his 'attention was drawn to a small boy sitjting up in the roadway a few feet 'from the footpath, just opposite the Congregational Church. Witness's car 'and one belonging to a Mr. Abel, were ■the only vehicles h. saw in the street jat the time. . The child, when picked up, was unable to say whether he had been run over or not.

Henry Herbert Higgins, a con.mercial traveller, said that he was talking to the previous witness when 'le heard 'a child scream. Ho tU::i saw a small boy lying in the street. The child was 'immediately conveyed to a nearby surigery, but died within a few nr utes without saying anything about the accident. "Before wo crossed over to the boy," said witness, "I called Mr. ißurgess's attention to a motor-lorry which was just turning the corner into ■Willis street. It appeared to stop momentarily on the corner, and ohe driver look out; then it went On out of sight. It was a dark-coloured lorry, and I thought it was an old model Commerce, ;with a ribbed radiator. It appeared to it empty. He was certain that the lorry be saw turning into Willis street had caused the accident.

1 Kichard Charles Good, a waterside ■worker, said that he was driving: a light .delivery van up Willis street at 4.15 p.m. on Bth March when he ha' to pull 'up to allow a motor-lorry, coming up Vivian street, to cross over. The .lorry was followed by another motor vehicle, painted a brown colour, and both ] turned down Willis street.

."MIGHT HAVE P.TJN OVEE HIM.'

Herbert Knowle Campbell, a riotordriveY, gave evidence that he passed i through Vivian street at about 4.15 p.m. 'on Bth March, driving a yellow Homj meres truck with a small load of timIber. As ho turned into \Villi3 street, !he looked back to see if there was any ■traffic behind him, and he noticed a 'motor vehicle a few, feet away, i'oilowjiiig him. He could not say whether it was a lorry or a car. Witness turned flown Willis street, while the other /.vehicle turned to the loft. I The Chief-Detective: "Did you noi tice the child in Vivian ,street?" —"I j caw no children whatever." The roadI yray was rough and wavy. ■ "Is it possible that you ran over the 1 boy?"—"I think it is possible, owing ito the lough state of the road, but I j ani practically certain I did not. .run ever him." Witness said that the eonetruction of the cab prevented his having a good view of the left-hand fiido j of the road. , The Chief-Detective: "Did you know that the police were looking for the j lorry-driver?"—"l read about it in i the paper the nex'. evening."

1 "You dirt not come forward and tc * 1 the police you were in tho vicinity at j the,time?" —"No, I did not connect i myself with the accident."

i Detective Murray said that he had , made all possible inquiries, and had interviewed the drivers of all lorri-s in | the vicinity at the time. He had also j eoen several persons who said they had seen » small boy lying in the roadway, \ tut thought he had merely fallen down j and had not taken very much notice. : I'fle road was very bumpy, and, in his I ©pinion, it would have been quite easy ! for the accident 10 have happened with- ! out the knowledge of the lorry-driver. ! Tho Coroner said that, although ' Campbell had stated that he was drivi ing along Vivian street at the time the accident must havo occurred, Higgins i had said that his lorry did not resemble 1 the one he had seen. Higgins had also | said that there was only one lorry in ■eight. The verdict would be that the , boy was killed by being run over by a 1 motor vehicle in Vivian street, al--1 though there was not adequate evidence Ito show tho mako of the vehicle or the I owner of it.