INQUEST ON THE VICTIM.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14893, 16 October 1918, Page 3 (Supplement)

INQUEST ON THE VICTIM.

„,, . September 21. ihe name or the unfortunate man who died at the Hospital on Thursday evening from injuries received as the result of stepping from the Motueka tc Nelson mail car as it was pulling up - ai Richmond on Wednesday was Mr Archibald (not Arthur, as the hospital authorities were informed) Hansford and he was manager of the Kairuru mnrble works, and brother of Mr Hanslord, of Messrs Hansford and Mills contractors for the new Parliamentary Buildings, /flic deceased was a married man, with two children An inquest was held at the Hospital .yesterday afternoon,-before Mr Edmund IMvidson, Coroner. Senior-Sergeant Barrett represented the police, and Mr E. B. Moore watched • proceedings on behalf of Messrs -Newman.-Bros., motor car proprietors. Ur. .J, l. o. Jamieson, resident surgeon at 'the Hospital, deposed that deceased was admitted on Wednesday evening; shortly before 7 o'clock suffering from a. fracture at the base oi the skull. He was unconscious when admitted, and remained in that condition until the following morning when it became evident that bleeding was going on inside the skull, causing pressure on the brain. After consultation with Dr. Gibbs, an operation was performed with a view to relieving the pressure. There had, however been extensive damage to the- skull and severe laceration of the brain, and the deceased died the same evening. The cause of death was the laceration and bleeding which" had taken place, and the injures were consistent with a fall Joseph William Mills, who stated that he was assisting deceased in the management of the Kairuru quarries gave evidence of identification, and stated that deceased was a in an oi to j habits- He left Kairuru on Wednesday to come to Nelson on business. William Brooks Atkins, farmer, residing at Riwaka, stated ftiat he accompanied deceased from Motueka to Jhchmond on Wednesday in the mail cmwhich left Motueka at 4 o'clock fie sat with deceased in the back se<it oi the car, which contained other passengers. When about half a mile from Richmond deceased mentioned to witness that he would like the car stop and witness told him that he had .v----ranged with the driver for tho car to stop at the Railway Hotel, whore )w (witness) was going to stay. As *he car slowed down to pull up "at oho .Railway Hotel he saw deceased put out his hand to open the door. Witness thwi looked towards the driver, unl on turning round found deceased !-.*»» si ate. From the time he saw deceased ■, ut Hs hand on the door till the car stopp»>] dead it did not travel more than J8 feet. He next saw deceased lvhig on the road within'lo feet of the car in ?.r unconscious condition, and he immediately sent for the local doctor, ln.fc he was' away. He carried the docci.sec into the hotel, and then, on rereVpt d a message, brought him an to tho I!<fpital in.the same car,. . ■•J)occ-is»iil • waj sober. ... 'Robert Byers Haswell. motor cai driver, employed )by 'Messrs >s'e>.vi:i:..r Bros., stated that he -drove the cai from Motueka on We<ln»sday'' afternoon. As instructed by tho or-.vioaj witness, he pulled up at the-Ra»iwaj Hotel. A remark by the witness At kins led to witness's' looking round when i:c» saw deceased lying on Jiu back on the road, about 10 feet 4joir the car. He stood by with the en-( and later-brought deceased to the Hospital. The car would be trav-jli;ng .H not more than six miles an ho'«r at the spot where deceased was Ivi xg

The Coroner found that deceased diod from injuries received through stepping out of :» car in motion at Itichmoua, ro blame attaching to the driver sf the car.