MOTORING FATALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19320, 6 May 1926, Page 12

MOTORING FATALITY.

WOMAN STRUCK BY CAR. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. CORONER EXONERATES DRIVER. An inquest concerning the death of Mrs. Clara Jane Iline, aged 52, who was knocked down by a motor-car driven by Humphrey Owen Bray, a clerk, agod 19, at the corner of Arthur Street and Quadrant Road, Onehunga, on the night of April 1, was concluded before the coroner, Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., yesterday. Deceased was admitted to the Auckland Hospital at 9 o'clock on the night of the accident and died shortly afterwards. Evidence was given by Brav, who stated that about 8 p.m. on April 1, he was driving a motor-car down Quadrant Road at about ten miles an hour. He was the only one in the car. Before reaching the Arthur Street intersection he noticed a woman leave the footpath and walk out on to the road. She had passed to tho right hand side of the road when she turned round and made a step back, placing' herself in front of tho car. Witness said the woman seemed confused and did not know which way to go. The next thing he knew was that the right-hand mudguard had struck the woman. lie pulled up quickly and found her lying under the rear of the car, with the red rear light shining on her face. Constable Putt said he saw Bray a few minutes after the accident. He was in an agitated condition but there was no sign of drink. The driver informed him that the front of the car hit the woman. Arthur Hine, husband of deceased, said his wife had perfect hearing and good eyesight. She was a woman who was extremely careful when out. Florence Ansell, who said she was with Mrs. Hine just before the accident happened, stated that when they reached tho corner of Arthur Street and Quadrant Road,.Mrs. Hine loft her and commenced to walk across tho road. Witness was not looking when deceased was struck by the car. Dr. W. M. McCormick said ho was called to the scene of the accident and found deceased lying on her back on the ground. Ho examined the body and found a wound on the forehead over the left eye thrco or four inches long. He ordered tho removal of tho woman to the hospital. "Dr. C. McDowell, surgeon at the Auckland Hospital, described the injuries to deceased. Tho cause of death, in his opinion, was shock following injuries.

The coroner found that deceased died from shock following injuries received through being knocked down by a motorcar driven by Bray. The evidence did not show that the driver was to blame.