Death of Schoolgirl

Northland Age, Volume XI, Issue 36, 18 June 1942, Page 1

Death of Schoolgirl

VERDICT AT INQUEST An inquest into the death of Mary Hori, of Awanui, who died in the Kaitaia Hospital on May 5 as the result of injuries received when she was run over by a school bus in front of the Kaitaia District High School, was held at the Kaitaia Courthouse on June 11th before Mr. L. A. Mclntosh (district coroner). Sergeant Simister appeared for the police and Mr. Reynolds represented the Education Board. Schoolteacher's Evidence Mrs. Bellingham, a relieving teacher, related how on the afternoon of the accident she was waiting for the return of the Takahue bus for the second load of passengers. The procedure was for all the schoolchildren to wait inside the grounds until buses arrived. On this day the Awanui bus returned first, although this was not a usual occurrence. The driver, after turning, moved his vehicle lower down the road to allow for the Takahue bus, which was following. The children ran from the school grounds to board the first bus, expecting it to stop at the usual place. They then followed the vehicle as it moved lower down the road. Mrs. Bellingham did not know of the accident until a small child came and told her that Mary Hori had been run over. She went straight to the scene and found the child lying in the gutter, badly injured. Almost immediately the two drivers arrived and the child was placed in the Takahue bus and taken to hospital. Two school pupils, Linda Doris Foster, aged 12, and William Pivac, aged 13, who were to travel on the Awanui vehicle, told of seeing Mary Hori fall under the moving bus. She had been running with other children alongside the bus and had reached out for the door handle, but missed it and fell, the back wheel of the bus passing over her. In reply to a question, Linda Foster said that the children had been instructed to wait inside the gate until the buses had stopped and when the Awanui bus arrived first the children expected it to stop at its usual place. Bus Driver’s Story Joseph Cowie, a bus driver of 16 years’ experience, said he had had no previous accidents. He had arrived before the Takahue bus and had moved his vehicle further down the road to make room. When he was turning the children were behind the school gates. Mr. Cowie said he usually stopped near the power pole and the children were used to this procedure. From his driving position he could not see the footpath or the children once he had backed out of the gate, and was proceeding down the side of the path. He felt a bump, but thought it was a large stone, and was not aware of the accident until he had stopped the bus and two children told him. System of Loading Satisfactory In reply to the coroner, Mr. Cowie said that the footpath edge was very broken and there was no proper kerb. The water-table was very deep, and once a child slipped there would be little chance of getting up quickly. When asked if he thought the system of loading the buses was satisfactory, the driver said in his opinion it had worked very well. He also said his vehicle was regularly inspected by the Traffic Department. Details of the routine observed at bus times were outlined by Mr. Bird, headmaster. A schoolteacher collected the bus tickets from the children to make sure no child was missing. Pre viously the second return of the buses had beeif supervised 1 y prefects only, but since the accident a teacher was also on duty for every trip. The coroner suggested that the area be made a special bus parking place and this was endorsed by the drivers and the headmaster. Mr. Bird stated that the day prior to the accident he and a member of the school committee had waited on the Town Board with a suggestion that the footpath be kerbed and channelled, and the board had promised to look into the matter. The Coroner’s Finding The coroner found that the deceased died at the Kaitaia Hospital as a result of injuries received when she fell under the rear wheel of a school bus driven by Joseph Cowie. The accident was purely accidental, and Mr. Mclntosh said that there was no question of negligence on the part of the bus driver.