INFANT BOY’S DEATH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 December 1928, Page 4

INFANT BOY’S DEATH.

HAWERA FARM FATALITY. INQUEST BY CORONER. The circumstances surrounding the tragic occurrence on the farm of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Young on Goodson’s Road, off the Glover Road, near Hawera last Thursday afternoon, when their infant son, Roy Keith Young, aged 4£ years, met with a fatal accident, were outlined at an inquest held yesterday afternoon before Mr. R-. S. Sage, J.P. (acting-coroner) and a jury consisting of Messrs. A. Goodson (foreman), H. B. Brown, F. Fryer, and E. R. Brin-d. Proceedings were conducted by Sergeant J. Henry. Horace Wilfred Young, father of the deceased child, stated in evidence that he was employed as a butcher in Hawera, and shortly after three o’clock last Thursday he proceeded home by car as the result of a telephone message. He was met by his son Horace, who was carrying the hoy Roy towards the house. The latter was apparently dead as the result of an accident- iii a paddo-k near the house. Witness departed immediately by car with Roy for the hospital. After going a short distance the car was met bv a doctor who confirmed the opinion of witness- that his son was dead. The child had been in normal health and condition.

Horace James Young, 18 years of age, who is employed on the farm, gave- evidence that at about three o’clock in the afternoon he took ahorse and dray to remove some heavy wire netting from the fence of a paddock formerly used as a pig run. The boy Roy anil another brother Bruce, aged three, were sitting in the- dray. Witness intended to release the netting by fastening an end. to the dray axle- and using the pulling power of the horse. Witness was- beneath the dray engaged in attaching the wire- to the axle when the horse moved and turned to its right, the netting slid to the end of the axle and jammed in the brake, and the dray capsized, throwing the horse on its hack. The hoy Bruce was thrown clear, but Roy was pinned beneath the- cross rail of the dray. Witness did his utmost, but was unable to get Rov free. Witness called for help, and his sister summoned a neighbour who was _ working nearby. The latter helped witness to lift the dray and release Rov, who was apparently dead. The child had made no cry or movement, and in the opinion of witness- had been killed instantaneously. The horse which had been used by witness was a halfdraught, and was quiet and accustomed to farm work. Witness could give no reason for the horse having moved. Evidence as to the injuries received by the deceased child was given by E)r. Andrew Morton Young, who met the car which was conveying the- child to the hospital. “Life was extinct, and we returned to Mr. Young’s i house, where I. made a furthei' examination,” said the doctor. “There was an extensive bruise showing on the back below the neck. The cause of death, in my opinion, was a sudden severe crush, producing at the sametime probable crushing of the spinal cord "and of the contents of the thorax.” He thought that death would have occurred instantaneously. “I ran across- the paddock about 200 yards, and it was only a couple of minutes from the time I was called until the drnv. was lifted off the child.” said Claude Hodges, who responded to the urgent summons of Miss Young. When witness reached the dray Horace Young was underneath, evidently trying to get his vounger brother- free. Together they lifted the dray on to its side. Witnessdid not think that under the circumstances- the child could have .been released earlier. He had known of a horse which was being led causing a dray to unset- bv hanging hack at a corner, and, in his opinion, it- would bo quite probable that the -leverage of tlie wire fastened to the axle had caused the vehicle to turn over when the wire slipped to the- end- of the axle. The jury’s verdict was that death was the result of injuries received through the accidental upsetting of a dray, no- blame being attachable to anyone.