PEDESTRIAN'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20724, 18 November 1930, Page 12

PEDESTRIAN'S DEATH.

KNOCKED DOWN BY VEHICLE. ACCIDENT AT RANGIRIRI. VERDICT AT THE INQUEST. [by TULEtillAl'll. —OWN COH HESI'ON PENT. ] JIUNTLY, Monday. The adjourned inquest into tin* death of Patrick Campbell, who was knocked down at Rangiriri by a motor vehicle on October 11, was held before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Huntly Police Court 10-day. Detective-Sergeant J. Martin appeared for the police. Defeased was ad milted to the VYaikato Hospital in an unconscious condition on October 11 at 11.1.5 p.m. and died the following «hi.v without regaining consciousness, Death was due to a fracluro of Hie skull. Robert Metcalfe, a storekeeper at Rangiriri, said that he saw Campbell prior to tlio accident. Campbell told him he was going home, lie talked with him for about five minutes and lie was quite sober. Deceased had gone to Metcalfe's shop for a newspaper about 6.30 p.m. and it was dark outside. Joseph Kilpatrick, driver of a tractor at the State Forests Department, Maramania, said ho left Rangiriri between 6.30 and 6.45 p.m., and was riding solo on a motor-cycle. After ho had gone some little distance he found Campbell lying on the roadside. It was quite dark at the lime. The man was lying on Ihe left side of tlio road on lb.-* inside of the bitumen. Witness said he raised the man and put him into a sitting position. A man and lady then came on the scene. Kilpatrick then took off his overcoat and tried to make the injured man comfortable. He stayed with him until Mr. McQuire, a traffic inspector, camo along. Movements Before Accident. Mr. McQuire then took witness along lo tlio police at lluntly to make a statement. From what he had observed lie thought tlio injured man had been knocked down and.thought he was unconscious when he spoke to him. W hen witness picked him up he was still breathing. Prior to leaving the hotel witness had had tea with Horcy Livingstone and James Kelly and they left before he did. Witness was questioned regarding his movements in Rangiriri on the afternoon and evening of the accident. He had had several drinks. Detective-Sergeant Martin: Do you remember when I came out to the camp and examined your motor-cycle '! There was a mark on the rim of the lamp, one mudguard was buckled; also there was a mark on the handle-bar and the clutch was bent upwards. Kilpatrick staled that the mark on the lamp was there when he bought the cycle and the only way ho could Recount for the remaining marks was striking tho heavy ruts of clay on the road and that had caused the damage to (ho cycle. Taxi Driver's Evidence. Noel Adamson, a taxi-driver, of Mount Eden, said ho came on the scene of tho accident about 6.30 p.m. or 6.45 p.m. The first he saw of it was coming over tho brow of the little dip where the accident happened. He saw tho man on the side of tho road about two chains away. He passed the spot, stopped the car, and went back. Kilpatrick was then there. James Kelly said he came to Rangiriri with Kilpatrick and went back again with Livingstone. The first he knew of the accident was about 8 o'clock. A voung man told Livingstone and then left to find out what had happened to Kilpatrick. At first they did not know he was involved. Constable Ingram said that at (ho scene of tho accident there were marks of a car having travelled north and some distance further on where tho body was found the marks were again noticeable. The day of tho accident there was a race meeting at Hamilton and he had ascertained that close on 200 cars had proceeded along the road between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The magistrate said if appeared that deceased had been run down by a passing vehicle and was in a dangerous pan of the road. The evidence did not cause any suspicion to fall on any witness. A verdict was returned that Campbell died in the Waikato Hospital on October 12, the cause of death being a fracture of the skull by being knocked down by a passing vehicle oil tho Great, South Road, Rangiriri, but tho evidence was insufficient to identify tho vehicle.