INQUESTS IN LOWER HUTT

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 26, 26 November 1946, Page 5

INQUESTS IN LOWER HUTT

INQUIRIES INTO FATALITIES

Several inquiries into recent fatalities wore held by Mr. W. G. Mellish, coroner, last week. Sergeant Adams represented the police. At an inquest on Graham Thomas Aitken, a member of the staff of the Hutt Valley High School, who met. his death when on a tramping expedition with a companion in the Tararua ranges, the coroner returned a verdict that deceased died on the night of September 3 in the Tararua ranges, the cause of death being coma and exhaustion promoted by cold.

Crushed by Engine

An inquest was held regarding the death of William Fox (31), married, of Gracefield Road, a shunter employed by the New Zealand Railways, who was crushed between the buffer of an engine and a railway wagon during shunting operations in the yards at Lower Hutt on October 25.

The theory advanced by the driver of the engine was that deceased inadvertently turned the po'ints the wrong way, and was caught by the engine before he had time to realise his error.

The coroner, in agreement with this theory, returned a verdict that the cause of death was severe internal injuries, accidentally received.

Sequel to Collision

At the inquest on James Grant Bissett, who was fatally injured when the motor cycle that he was riding collided with a truck driven by Thomas Robert Scott on July 0, the coroner followed a summary of evidence given in the Supreme Court, when .Scott was found guilty of negligent driving and was fined £o'o. The coroner's verdict was that deoased died on July~9 in the Hutt Hospital, the cause of death being ievere Injuries received in a collision. Sudden Deaths At the inquiry into the death of >eorge Connor (66), single, a storenan, at Petone, evidence was given hat when at work on the afternoon if October S deceased suddenly colapsed, and on arrival at hospital was found to be dead. A postmortem was conducted by Dr. Merer, on whose evidence a verdict of Inath from natural causes was reamed by the coroner. At the inquest on Victoria Mary ?revethick (59), married, of Itahd•vick Crescent, the evidence showed hat deceased retired to bed at about, uidnight, and wa;< found at 3."0 a.m. m the floor unconscious. A verdict if death from natural causes was eturned.