Fatal Accident.

Hastings Standard, Volume XI, Issue 5681, 10 December 1907, Page 3

Fatal Accident.

Two Natives named Urupeni ! Manahi and Katene Pukerau, whti ■ driving from Omahu to Ngataraw; .in ihe 28th of ia:t nonth met with ai 1 accident, the result of which causec the death of the former at his resi denct, Omahu, on Monday morning 1 The facts being reported to the police, • an inquest was deemed necessary. INQUEST. The inquest was conducted by the . acting coroner (Mr R. Brathwaite), and the following comprised the j jury :—Messrs VV. H. Fuszard (ForeI man), R. Wade, J. Keith, G. Watts, ! A. E. Harwood and A. Carncross. Katene Pukerua, clerk in holy I orders, deposed that Urepene Manahi i was his brother, and that together on the 28th of November last they left their home at Omahu in a gig, at a little after 9 a.m., for the purpose of proceeding to Ngatarawa. The deceased was driving a horse which had not long been broken in. Thev were driving past Kemp's, at Roy's Hill, when some dogs ran out at the horse, which bolted, and then commenced to kick. After swerving to the opposite side of the road, the gig wheel struck some obstacle and witness was thrown out and stunned for a while. When he came to he saw deceased lying on the road. He was unconscious, and there was a b.u.se behind one ear. Some Natives came up and he sent them to ring up a doctor. He put deceased on a dray and had him removed t) Omahu. On the way they met Dr Barcroft. Deceased was a very careful man with horses. Dr. Alfred Ernest Jaffray Barcroft deposed that in response to a telephone message he proceeded to Roy's Hill. When within about 100 yards of Kemp's house, he saw deceased on a dray. He was unconscious. There was a severe contusion on the right side of his head, and also evidence of some compressions on the brain, but he could not discover any fracture of the skull. He told Katene that it was a very serious case, and advised that deceased be taken to the hospital. He hurried back to Hastings and sent out some ice. The following morning he rang up the Fernhil Hotel, and asked them to send a special messenger to deceased's house to ask if they wanted him out. He received a reply that " deceased was still in the same state, but he could go out if he liked." He went out and saw deceased, whose condition was much the same, only that the symptoms of compressions were more marked. He was not called to again attend deceased. Death was due to considerable hemorrhage of the brain. The fact that deceased was lying unconscious for ten days with symptoms of compression of the brain was conclusive evidence that the brain had received serious injury. He did not call again because he heard that other aid in the shape of a Chinaman " doctor," whom he met coming away from deceased's house on the morning of the 29th ult., had been called in.

Katene Pukerua, recalled, said that deceased never regained consciousness, and died at 4.30 a.m. yesterday. Before Dr Barcroft saw deceased on the 29th, Wong Lee, a Chinaman, was sent for, and made three visits. Witness was present each time. Wong Lee felt deceased's 'pulse and his chest, and asked witness if the doctor had prescribed any medicine He told him that the doctor had advised ice to be applied to the head, and that some powders were sent for, which had been given to deceased. The natives prevailed upon witness to allow the Chinaman to remain in the house all night, but he refused

permission for him to g>ve any treatment. He was afterwards told that the Chinaman did give deceased something in his absence. He could not say what it was, but it was an extract from boiled leaves. The jury returned a verdict " that deceased died from concussion of the brain, resulting from being accidentally thrown from his trap."