RUN OVER BY TAXI

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 13 September 1928, Page 13

RUN OVER BY TAXI

INQUEST ON VICTIM An inquest was held this morning; before the Coroner (Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M.) on James Cowie, a waterside worker, aged 63, who died in the Wellington Hospital at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday, after having been run over by a taxi behind the tramway waiting sheds> in Courtenay place earlier in the evening. The evidence was to the. effect that Cowie, apparently under the influence of liquor, walked across the street iii a zig-zag manner about 6.30 p.m. When he reached the footpath he staggered back to near the centre of the street, where he fell on hia back. Almost immediately the taxi, travelling at about 12 miles an hour, which had come from Majoribanks street, ran over the deceased. Cowio was quite conscious when picked up, and appeared to be in no pain. In his hip pocket there was a whisky flask, but most of the contents had been spilt. It was stated by several witnesses that the locality where the accident occurred was badly lighted. Olaf Hansen, the driver of the taxi, said he was driving hia car behind the tram shelters when he felt his wheels go over something. The car was only; travelling slowly and he pulled up in. a few feet. His lights were burning, ,aud, although ho was keeping a good look out, he did not see the deceased lying on the road. As the doctor who conducted the post mortem examination on the deceased was not able to be present, the Coroner adjourned the inquiry until to-morrow morning.