FALL FROM TRAMCAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21932, 16 October 1934, Page 11

FALL FROM TRAMCAR

ELDERLY MAN'S DEATH ACCIDENTAL OCCURRENCE An inquest was concluded yesterday before Mr. W. P. McKean, S.M., coronor, concerning tho death of Mr. Charles Parry Shepherd, retired fanner, aged 72, who received fatal head injuries on tho evening of September 11 when he fell from a moving tramcar in Upper Queen Street. Evidence was given by a daughter, Mrs. Edith Meale, of Stewart Street, Mount Albert, that she was accompanying deceased, who lived at 32 Rossmav Terrace, Sandringham, on an inwardbound car. Deceased suddenly rose from his scat and went to the back platform, witness receiving the impression that he had "taken a turn" and was leaving the main part of the car to obtain fresh air. On realising that her father had fallen, witness ran to the platform, and also fell from the tramcar. Other evidence was given that the accident happened very quickly after the tramcar had started off from the compulsory stop opposite Myers Park. One witness thought conductors of tramcars would be better able to watch the movements of passengers if the framed advertisements were removed from the panes of glass beside the tramcar doors. ' The coroner said it would be better if the advertisements did not appear over the windows, but their presence in the case before him was actually not of consequence. However, if the presence of such advertisements was likely in any way to be a restriction to the view of the conductor, he thought they should be removed. In the case before him, the circumstances showed that the fall was accidental, and deceased evidently had no intention of leaving the tram while it was in motion.