FOUND ON HIGHWAY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 9 March 1928, Page 4

FOUND ON HIGHWAY

WOMAN FATALLY INJURED DEATH IN (HOSPITAL. INQUEST PROCEEDINGS. An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Millicent Elizabeth Richter, a married woman, 42 years of age, aaTio, after being found unconscious on the Main South Road a short distance from her home near Mokoia on the CA-ening of Friday, February 24, died in the Hospital on the folloAving night, avus conducted before the coroner, Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M. by Sergeant J. .Henry in the Hawera Court to-day. Mr. A. K. North appeared forthe relatives of the deceased and Mr. F. O’Dea Avatched proceedings on beialf of George Oravv Smith, a Hawera motorist, avliq. folloAA-ing the decease of Mrs. Richter, Avas charged AA'ith having caused her death and Mr. Blair Hasted on behalf of the employers of Smith. EA’idence that in response to a call he arrh’ed at about 7.40 p.m. at the spot Avhere Mrs. Richter had been found was given by Dr. A. M. Young, of Hawera. Mas. Richter, avlio Avas deeply unconscious had sustained a lacerated wound on the back of the head and th<A patient avus bleeding also from the nose and ears. She Avas taken to the HaAvera Hospital Avhere further examination revealed the usual symptoms of a- fractured skull. Minor bruises had also been sustained on the right elboAV and the aver part of the small of the back. On the Saturday night the patient died without having regained consciousness. Apparently the deceased had been a healthy Avoman. The injuries described ere the immediate cause of death. Replying to Sergeant Henry, Avitness slid the injuries could have been caused through deceased having been knocked doAvn by a vehicle. GOING TO MEETING. Ronald Alwiri Rliehter, farmer, residue on the Main South Road, husband of deceased, said she had intended going to a tennis meeting in the Mokoia Hall about a mile from their home. A neighbour, named Percy, Avho, Avith the hitter s wile, was to take deceased in his car, was to meet her at 7.ls'o’clock and at about live minutes past seven slie left the house ivhic-li Avas situated 20 chains from the roadway. About a quarter of an hour later witness was called to the road and saAV his Avife ..ving unconscious on the left side of the roauway proceeding in the direction of iiavA-era about 100 yards from the gateway. Deceased had evidently been walking to meet the Percys, AA-.ho lived in that direction. A man named Meuli Avas kneeling by her. When his wife left home she was wearing spectacles similar to a pair produced in court. She had go oil eyesight, the spectacles having been worn on account of headaches. Her hearing was also normal. At this stage the inquest was adjourned temporarily and the evidence of the doctor was interpolated on the charge against Smith in Aviiose presence the doctor read oi'er his depositions, ho questions AA'ere asked-

The inquest Avas resumed and evidence of the appointment with. Mrs. Richter Avas given by Herbert S. Percy, who. said that proceeding to pick up Mrs. Richter he left his house, the gateway to Avliicli Avas about 10 chains tram Richter’s gate, at 7-15 p.m. Not far from Richter’s gate tAvo cars were draAvn up on the Avrong side of the roadAvay with about 30 yards between them. One belonged to a man named Meuli and the number of the other was 53404. Witness saAy a Avoman lying on the left side of the road near the cars and his wife recognised her immediately as Mrs. Richter. BROAD DAYLIGHT. Mr. O’Dea: Would it be getting dark when you reached the scene? Witness: No. It Avas broad daylight. Otto Meuli, blacksmith of Patea, who was driving to Hawera deposed to having called at the Mokoia store at about seven o’clock. Just before lea\'ing a lew minutes later he saiv a car pass in the direction of Hawera. It was driven by George Smith with a passenger named Nixon. A man named Locker and his son AA’ere travelling with witness. Resuming their journey they AA'ere mounting a rise Avheri witness saw the car previously referred to pulling up on its right hand side of the road. Drawing near the car witness saw a woman lying on the side of the road on the opposite side front the car Avhichi was about three chains further QU. Witness went to the woman aalio appeared to be dead. She Avas lying on her back witii her head pointing obliquely towards the hedge. The tAvo men got out of the car ahead and Avallted back toAvards Avitness who said: “How did this happen?” But they replied they did not knew. They were unsteady and seemed to be under the influence of liquor. Locker AA’ent to ’phone for a doctor and Smith and Nixon . moved: away, Witness called to them : “Don’t go aivay. The doctor will be here soon,” but they Ayalked on. The car driven by Percy then appeared and Avitness requested Percy to get the number of the other car. The number was 53404. By the right hand side of the Avoman witness found a pair of spectacles and a handkerchief. CLEAR OF ROADWAY. Replying to Mr. North, Avitness said the Avliole of the woman’s body was off the tar seal, her feet being about a foot clear. Neither Smith nor Nixon had offered to help Avitness in attending to the Avoman. Answering the coroner, Avitness said that Avhen he arrived a Avound in the woman’s head was bleeding freely. Mr. O’Dea : May it not ha\ r e been the shock given them by the discovery Avhich made these men appear in a stupid condition. You would not swear they A\ere intoxicated? Witness : I jthink they Avere intoxicated.

CORONER’S VERDICT. KNOCKED DOWN BY CAR. EVIDENCE GIVEN BY PASSENGER,.

After evidence had been given by five witnesses at the inquest, held before Air. J. S. Barton, S.M., at Hawera today, the coroner intimated ho had heard sufficient and gave his finding as follows : That the deceased, Millicent Elizabeth Richter, died at the public hospital at Hawera on February 25 from a. fractured skull, the injury having been received by her on February 24 on the Alain South Road near her home as the result of her being knocked down by a motor car driven by George Gravy Smith, of Hawera, stock buyer. Following the evidence reported on page four Ernest Alfred Nixon, of Hawera, who iliad been to Waverley on the day in question, said he left there with George Smith in the ]a.tter’s car at about 3. o’clock to.' return to Hawera. Smith was driving. They stopped at Patea and talked with several people concerning the wool sale and stock. Some qf the conversation had taken place in a hotel and some in the street. They we re in Patea for some time, probably an hour, and had several drinks. Witness was not sure of the number. He may have had four or five and could not say whether Smith had that many. The Coroner: Did you have any drink before leaving Waverley? Witness: No.

After leaving Patea they stopped at Kakaramea where they had a. couple more drinks each, but witness was uncertain how long they had remained there. When near the Ball Roßd they had attended to, a tyre which was down. Passing Mokoia witness saw a car outside the store. The speed throughout the journey would not have been greater than 18 to. 20 miles an hour.

‘‘YO U ’ V.E) KNOCKED HER OVER!. ’ ’

“After passing Alokoia we .were nearing Lysaght’s gate when straight ahead L suddenly noticed a lady on the road,'.’ continued witness. “She was Avalking on the tar seal on the left hand side. 1 just saw her face in a flash and it seemed we were too close to her. Then I felt a bump and there is no doubt we struck the lady.’.’ Witness thought there were two bumps and that the body had been knocked to the side of the road. “Look out! You’ve knocked her over,’.’ called witness to Smith, who pulled up on the right some 20 to, 30 yards further on. Witness ran back to, the woman who was lying on her face. Witness turned her over and ran back to Smith in the car. Witness remembered the arrival of Aleuli, but then seemed to lose his head and could not even recollect returning to, Smith’s car. Smith seemed so dazed that he did not know what had happened. “I don’t think he realised he had knocked a. woman down, lliis' was the result of shock more than anything I think,”, said witness. The road was straight for a quarter of a mile on eithe.r-side of the place where die woman was struck.

•Replying to Mr. North witness said that just prior to, the impact he was talking to Smith, but the latter was not taking much notice. To Mr. o'’Dea witness said that when he first saw the woman she was in the wheel track on the' roadway, and he thought she half turned towards the car. The time was between lights and visibility was not good. This concluded the evidence and the coroners finding was given as indicated. SMITH CHARGED. CASE BEFORE LOWER COURT. Following the finding of the Coroner, Mr. .T. S. Barton, S.M., at the inquest held in the Hawera Court to-day, evidence was presented before Mr. Barton as Magistrate on a fresh information against George Gravy Smith, stock buyer, of Hawera, who was charged that on February 24, near Alokoia, while in a state of intoxication, he was in charge of a motor vehicle on the Alain South Road, and by an act or ommission in relation thereto, he caused the death of Millicent Elizabeth Richter. The case was conducted by Sergeant J. Henry and accused Avas represented by Air. P. O’Dea. The depositions of the witnesses, Ronald Alwin Richter, Herbert S. Percy, Otto Meuli, and Ernest Alfred Nixon, as given at the inquest were repeated and the evidence of Aleuli was corrabated by the passenger in his car, Percy Ward Locker, no> questions being asked by counsel. ERR ATIC COURSE SUGGESTED. “I saiv a car containing tivo men go round the corner at a fast pace and the driver appeared to have difficulty in straightening up,” said the next Avitness, Alexander Thomas Alain, storekeeper, Mokoia, Avho, shortly after seA'en o’clock on the evening, Avas outside the store. The car travelled on an erratic course for about 150 yards, continued Avitness, and he thought the driA’-er must have been drunk. He uoav recognised the driver as George Smith and a passenger as Nixon. The latter was leaning over the side and appeared in danger of falling out. About seven or eight minutes after the car passed Avitness heard through another motorist that an accident had occurred. Before proceeding to the scene Avhidh Avas just a mile from the store, Avitness ’phoned for a doctor and the police. When Avitness reached the scene a feAV moments later it was broad daylight and though drizzling rain had fallen, nothing in the conditions to affect the A'isiou of a, competent driver. The road was perfectly straight and Avitness could not understand Avhy a motorist should fail to avoid hitting any object on the roadway. TEST OF! CAR, BRAKES. A motor mechanic of HaAvera, Paul Canty, deposed to having tested the brakes of a c;ar numbered 53404 on the instructions of the police on Alonday, February 27. The footbrake Avas in perfect order. The hand brake was ineffective in checking the car Avhen moving, hut would hold the car if stopped on a hill. The steering gear Avas in good order and the oar Avas not damaged except for a slightly bent lamp bracket on the left side and a bend in the front mudguard on the same side. The glass of the left hand lamp Avas broken and pieces of glass produced in I court were similar to fragments still in the frame. (Proceeding.)