ELDERLY MAN'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20604, 1 July 1930, Page 13

ELDERLY MAN'S DEATH.

STRUCK BY MOTOR-CAR* EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST, EXONERATION OF DRIVER. Tho inquest which was adjourned lasfi Wednesday owing to the absonce of tho driver of tho motor-car which struck a. pedestrian was concluded yesterday by tho coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M. Tho inquiry was into the death of Mr. James Grierson, aged 77, a former inspector of schools, who received fatal injuries in an accident at the corner of Manukau Road and Ranfurly Road, Ep;;om, cn the evening of May 23, and who died in tho Auckland Hospital on June 18. When this inquest was held last •Wednesday the driver of the car did not) appear when his name was called, and the coroner at once adjourned the proceedings and erdeiv J a summons to ba issued

" I would certainly have been here if I had known of the inquest," said tho motorist, Edwin Clarence \Y hitehouso, of Woodford Road, Mount EcDen, yesterday. Ho explained that a message had been left for him asking him to attend tho Court the following day. lie did not. receive it until Wednesday and thought 1 hat. it referred to Thursday." He then <rave evidence reliting to tha accident, slating that his car was travelling along Manukau Itoad toward New* market. When he was passing Ranfurly Road he saw a mar. suddenly step in front of the vehicle., and he at once swerved to the right, out wax unable to avoid an accident. The roan was very greasy, and it was nc the time and tha lights of an approaching car were in his face. He had not been able to procure witnesses. When deceased was picked up there were no visible marks of injury, but he was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

In reply to the coroner, Whitehouse said that he was driving about eight feet from the footpath. Deceased approached from the right of his car. "If he came from the right he had to cross the road, tramlines and all. Could you not see him ?" ask.'d Mr. Hunt. Witness: There were lights coming toward me and it was raining at the time. " As. a matter of fact, if deceased had not been such an old man lie would not have died, as his injuiies were not serious," said the coroner. "It was what usually happens in these cases; lie was watching one car and did not see the other."

" The lightis that were coming toward me were shining too high unci were mot focussed on the road," added Whitehouse. The coroner agreed, stating that the motor regulations dealing with the beams of headlights should be enforced. He then returned a verdict of accidental death, exonerating the driver from blame*