MOTOR FATALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7850, 12 July 1911, Page 6

MOTOR FATALITY

TUB DEATH OP FREDERICK HUNT. INQUEST OPENED. THE MEDICAL EVIDENCE. An inquest concerning the death of ■Frederick Hunt, a gardener, aged * ’who was killed by being knocked down l by a motor car belonging to Dr IJwaJt ;eu Monday evening, was opened aa ; hospital yesterday afternoon, Mr W. G. Riddell presiding. Mr O. B*x;ro appeared for the driver of the car, Mr K. Kirkcaldie for tho Hunt family, Mr Martin Chapman, ICJ , for an insurance company, and Mr T. 'Young for Dr Ewart. Dr Hardwicko Smith, medical superintendent of the hospital, said that at d.la p.m. on Monday deceased was brought to the hospital, and was completely unconscious. Tho injured man died at 9.15, and tho cause of death was a fracture of the skull and hemorrhage. Anthur R. Barnhrd, motor driver, erajployed by Dr Ewart, deposed that at ( aboat 5.30 p.m. on Monday lie and Dr Ewart were proceeding along Lambton quay towards the railway station, at a speed of about eight miles an hour. Tn y were near Vv ooaward street at tho timo of tho accident. 110 did not soo deceased till ho was about thirty yards away. "When he noticed deceased witness applied the brakes but did not sound tho horn; the wheels stopped, but tho car skidded forward. It appeared as if deceased was coming over from tho .Arcadia,

To Mr Young: It was ponring with rain at the time, and witness had hia hood and screen up. Ho would say that deceased was, struck on Dio front of his body because bo was on bis back when they went to pick him up. Tho wheels of the car had not passed over tho manlone of tho front wheels was between deceased’s feet. In answer to Mr Kirkcaldie witness •said that he had had twelve months’ experience of motor cars in a London garage, and had driven ears hero since .last Angus!'. Tho lamps on the car (were in proper order, so were the brakes. When the brakes were applied tho oar skidded forward over a yard, and after contact with deceased about a foot. _ In wot weather, such as it was at the time of tho accident, it was difficult to pull up a car in less than two yards. There was a good deal of traffic about at the time. With the hood of the car up it was harder to see than when it waqdcwn. There were no head lights on his car. It was difficult to say whether, had Ithcro been such lights on the car, deceased could have been, seen in time to prevent the accident. Head lights had a dazzling effect. To Mr lice re: If the road had been dry witness would have been able to stop the car before it struck deceased. Dr John Ewart considered that the car was travelling at about six to eight miles per hour. Ho saw deceased as ho fell, but not before. After the accident deceased was carried ,to the National Hotel, where witness examined him. Afterwards witness telephoned for an ambulance to take the man to the hospital. Hr Kirkcaldie asked the witness if ho know whether any examination of tne body other than that of tbo kcr.il had been made, but Dr Ewart answered that he did not know. Mr Kirkcaldie than submitted that pvich an examination should bo made, and She coroner ordered this course to be followed. . , To Mr Becre; Tho driver of the car was 8 sober,* careful, and reliable man. George Smyth, clerk in the Public (Trust Office, testified to witnessing tho accident. The car struck deceased, who •was facing it, between tho legs. He did not think tho car was travelling at more ithan ten miles an hour. There was a good deal of, traffic, about. 'Dr Hardwicko Smith, recalled, said that on re-examining deceased he found a bruise oh one of his ankles and a slight abrasion under the loft shin. There wore practically no signs of brnieea on the body. George Pinmock, who had employed deceased at the Arcadia Private Hotel, said that Hunt w r as not too_ firm on his feet, and latterly had complained of being a little deaf in one oar. A*s far as witness knew deceased’s eyesight was fairly good. At this stage tho inquest was adjourned until 3.15 p.m. to-morrow at the Magistrate’s Court.