A DROVER'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 12, 15 January 1929, Page 14

A DROVER'S DEATH

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

An inquest on Donald"■ Daniel Camerou, a drover, aged 34, who was found in an unconscious condition-near his house at Ngahauranga early on Monday last, and who died subsequently as a result of head injuries, was held yesterday, before, the Coroner' (Mr. E. Page, S;M.).'-Mr- f. W. Ongley appeared for the New/Zealand Moat Export Co., by whom the deceased was em.ployed, and" Senior-Sergeant D. Scott conducted the inquest. „ Evidence given by the deceased's wife showed that when she last saw him alive, at breakfast on the Sunday, he was in his usual good health. He was' going to play cricket at the Hutt Park. When she returned from Titahi Bay in the evening,.he was not at home. - Inquiries were made, but without result. Early on Monday morning, however, witness found him outside one of the gates near the house, with his left foot caught under the bottom rail. Ho was unconscious and died before tho arrival of a doctor. There was a'slight cut on the back of his head. Witness considered that he had fallen backwards while getting over the gate. Dr. P. P. Lynch, pathologist, who conducted a post-mortem examination, said that deceased hail died from a fractured skull. The injury indicated a* blow or fall of some violence. A fall while climbing over the- gate might have caused tho injury. There were no signs of liquor on the deceased., : Evidence was given by the deceased's" father-in-law that Cameron ■ was quite sober when,witness saw him about 6.30 ; p.m.von the Sunday at Hutt Park.

The caretaker of the Hutt Park said that at about 8.30 p.m. on the Sunday he found Cameron sitting on the floor in one of the lavatories. He told witness that he had been unwell, but was feeling better, and witness then continued on his round. Cameron I appeared quite sober.

Further evidence showed that the deceased entered a motor-bus in Jackson street, Petone, at 10.25 p.m., but got out near the Petone railway station; saying that he was feeling queer.

Another witness described finding a man dressed in cricketing clothes lying on the footpath opposite the station^ He smelt of liquor and was unable to speak or stand, and witness and his companions considered that, he was helplessly drunk. They propped him up against the wall of a building and left him there. A motor-cyclist had pulled up a little way ahead and was looking back. ' •'....

. The Coroner said that there seemed little doubt that the man was the deceased. ,'■.•■

Senior-Sergeant Scott said that apparently someone had given the deceased a lift to his home, but the police had been unable to trace him."./.. Dr. Lynch, recalled, stated that-'he 'had had great difficulty in deciding" whether, the deceased's injuries were received at Petone or at his home.; It was possible-for a man with such injuries to travel a considerable distance. . The inquest was " adjourned until Thursday for the evkloueo of two men who left the Hutt Park shortly, .before the deceased, and two companions of the motorist who saw him lying on the footpath at Petonc.