NEWMARKET FATALITY

Northern Advocate, 29 October 1932, Page 10

NEWMARKET FATALITY

DEATH OF BLIND MAN,

INQUEST CONCLUDED,

(Special to "Northern Advocate.”)

AUCEXAND, This Day,

The inquest was concluded yesterday afternoon touching the death of Mr Thomas ■William Buckley, a mid-dle-aged blind man, who died in the Auckland Hospital on October 5, the day after he was knocked down by a tram car in Broadway, Newmarket.

Evidence was given that the deceased was employed at the Jubilee Institute for the Blind as a basketmaker. Buckley, who had been a member of the Salvation Army for over 20 years, was on his way to a service when' the accident occurred. Constable Hendrcn said he had often assisted Buckley across the road in Newmarket and had found him a difficult man to assist as he hurried away when one took hold of his arm and it was 1 necessary to hold on’ to him.

A labourer, Ernest August Hegh, said ho took the blind man by the right hand and commenced to cross Broadway with him on the evening of October 4. At the time no tram ears were in sight. They wore standing between the two sets of tram rails waiting for a motor car to pass when witness suddenly heard the gong of a tram. An outward bound tram was almost on top of them. On hearing the gong, Buckley jumped back, dragging witness with him. Witness struck the side of the tram, but as far as ho knew Buckley was not hit.

Evidence' that the tram was travelling at a reasonable speed was given by M(rs Frances Hegh, who said the accident -would probably not have occurred if the gong had not been sounded, as deceased stepped back when he heard it.

The driver of the tram car, Harold Booth, said lie saw both men when he was about 10 feet from them. He sounded the gong and applied the brakes. He thought the ear first struck Hegh, but was unable to say whether it actually struck Buckley. The tram was only travelling at 10 miles per hour at the time, and it was pulled up in three feet after striking Hegh.

The coroner, Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., a. verdict that deceased died at the hospital on October 5, the cause of death being a fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain received through being accidentally knocked down by a tram car in Newmarket.