DEATH OF LITTLE GIRL

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1930, Page 9

DEATH OF LITTLE GIRL

KNOCKED DOWN BY MOTOR-CAR.

VERDICT FROM INQUEST.

The death of Elizabeth Jane Williamson, aged eight, in the New Plymouth hbspital on October 23 was caused by a haemorrhage of the left side of the brain consequent on a fracture of the skull sustained in a collision witlr a motor car driven by Raymond, Elijah Chatterton—such was the verdict of Mr.! R. W. Tate, S.M., coroner, at the inquest at New Plymouth yesterday. The accident occurred on October 23 near the corner of Carrington and Holdsworthy roads. Senior Sergeant McCrorie conducted the proceedings for the police. Mr. A. G. Anderson represented the child’s parents, who live at Vogeltown, and Mr. G. Macallan appeared for Chatterton.

Dr. Gordon O. L. Dempster, house surgeon, said-the girl was admitted to the New Plymouth hospital about 6 p.m. on October 22 and died the next morning between 10 o’clock and midday. Death was the result of a haemorrhage of the left side of the brain. K _ i To the Senior Sergeant: The child was mentally normal on entering the hospital and later lapsed into unconsciousness, this bejng consistent with a severe injury to the brain. To the magistrate: There was no abrasion from the blow. The fracture of the skull had been responsible for the cutting of an artery and this caused the haemorrhage. A blunt instrument could have caused the injury without leaving an external mark. William M. Dill-Mackay, agricultural instructor, said he was motoring in Carrington Road towards Inglewood about 5.15 p.m. There was a car about 40 yards in front. At the corner of HoldSworthy Road there were some children on his left. A small car came in the opposite direction. Just as it was about t,o pass the car in front of him two of the children dashed across the road, apparently without, warning, and were struck by the front right mudguard of the small car. They wero both hurled to the road.

As witness went to them' one got to her feet and scrambled away. The other girl lay on the road. She was dazed and unable to rise. She started to cry and put her arms Out to him. He picked her up and carried her to the path, where, ho was met by the parents. ' The' children ran very fast, passing 10 or 15 feet behind the car in front of him. The small car was just about to pass this car at about 35 miles an hour, well on its correct side of the road. No hdrn was sounded by the small car. Edwin Lancelot Murray, radio salesman, said he was driving one of Williamson’s buses in Carrington Road. He pulled up at Young’s store to let down passengers. Two cars passed him and he saw another car come in the opposite direction at a fairly fast speed. The children were bn the footpath playing hop-scotch. It seemed they were chased by two boys and they ran across the road. They came out from behind Mackay’s car and ran into the small car, Which swerved to the grass roadside and on to the kerb. The injured, child sat in the middle of the road. Witness immediately drove to Williamson’s gate. He helped the father to take the child to the hospital. / To the senior sergeant: He considered the driver of the small car could see the children playing on the path as he approached. “The car going in the other direction would obstruct his view to a certain extent.

To Mr. Macallan: The girls did not run on to the road fast, but more or less leisurely. At the site of the accident there was room to park a large bus on the grass at the roadside. The speed of the small car would have been between 25 and 30 miles an hour. To Mr. Anderson: The small car was half on the bitumen and half on the grass at the time, leaving about five feet to the channel.

George Dunlop, aged 10, said that when in Carrington Road he saw two girls playing on the path—Ruby Eraser and Jean Williamson. When he and Billy Hartnell got near them they ran across the road. They ran behind a car going up the road and into the mudguard of the small car coming down. The girls had thought he was going to chase them. Ruby Eraser said she and the girl

Williamson ran across the road when they thought the two boys were going to chase them. A car came Up and knocked them down. She did not see the car. 1

Raymond Elijah Chatterton,, baker’s apprentice, said he drove his small carin Carrington Road towards New Plymouth. He was almost opposite Williamson’s gate when he met a car coming from the opposite direction. As he was about to pass two girls came from behind it. They ran into his front mudguard. He swerved into the gutter,which was fairly deep. He was bumped out of his seat. His car stopped .within a short distance. At the time of the accident his car wheels were on the edge of tlie bitumen.His 1 speed he estimated at about 25 miles an hour. He had not ' Seen the. girls on the path as he approached the other car. He was watching the road for traffic. ' .

To Mr, Anderson: When he first saw the '.girls he applied his brakes. • When he lost his position in his seat his foot left the brake. He did not have time to use his hand-brake. Ho was roughly a few feet from them When lie applied the brakes—less than six feet. ■

To Mr. Macallan: He was Watching, the road the whole time. It was & matter of seconds between the tittle he first saw them and the impact. -The children hit his car as he was swerving. He did not think he could have\ avoided the accident.

Constable Mitchell gave details of measurements of the road.

Mr. Dill-Mackay was recalled to give evidence concerning the point at which he picked the child up. Mr. Macallan: Do you think Chatterton could have avoided the accident? Dill-Mackay: Absolutely no. •