INDEFINITE EVIDENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1933, Page 10

INDEFINITE EVIDENCE

DEATH OF JOHN JOSEPH MEEHAN. VERDICT AT CORONER’S INQUEST. “The evidence is extremely indefinite . as to how the accident occurred,’ said ; the coroner, Mr. R. S. Sage, at the Hawera Court yesterday when returning a ; verdict that the death of John Joseph Meehan, Rowan, aged 64, at the Hawera ' Hospital, on August 24, was caused by . laceration and contusion of the brain , apparently received through Meehan be- . ing heavily thrown to the road by the . impact of a bicycle ridden by John Phillip Harding, Kaponga, on the night of , August 20. The medical evidence, Mr. Sage continued, showed clearly that the accident was the result of a heavy fall caused . by an impact such as would be given by a bicycle, and in view of this he must return the verdict he had given. There were puzzling features in the case, and he thought that Harding should be exonerated from blame. Harding gave evidence that on the night of the accident he was cycling down Rowan Road at about 9.30 after a visit to Mr. Hill, when he suddenly struck an obstacle and was thrown from his cycle. Recovering after a dazed period he saw Meehan lying unconscious on the road. He ‘thought that Meehan must have been lying across the road when he ran over him, as if he had been standing he would have seen him. His cycle was lighted and he was travelling slowly. He did not know whether he fell on his head but his neck was very sore next morning. The coroner asked if the police could throw any light on the suggestion that Meehan was lying on the road when the accident occurred, and Sergeant Henry replied that the only evidence obtainable was that of Williams, who had accompanied Meehan to within half a mile of the scene of the accident. It was difficult, said the coroner, to be sure how the man met his death. There were several inferences to be drawn. If witness’ supposition as to the man’s lying on the road were correct there was the possibility of a prior accident. Questioned by the coroner, witness said there was not a great deal of traffic on the road. He felt that he was not responsible for the accident. After trying to revive Meehan he dragged him off the road and ran for help back to Hill’s place, half a mile away. Mr. Hill drove back with him in his car and they took Meehan to Kaponga, where Dr. Gray attended him. He had not noticed any smell of liquor on Meehan. Harold Williams, butcher, Kaponga, said that accompanied by Meehan he drove to a friend’s place at Riverlea, taking 12 bottles of beer, 10 of which they drank that night. They stayed the night there and before 10 on Sunday morning consumed the remaining two bottles. He was positive that Meehan had consumed no more liquor that day. Witness’ father had taken the car on Sunday morning and at some time after 9 p.m. he and Meehan set off to walk home. They had taken the ElthamOpunake Road and had parted company at the corner of Rowan Road at about 10 p.m. Meehan was absolutely sober and seemed in the best of health. His hearing and eyesight were good. He did not think Meehan would have called at any houses after they parted. It was a clear night, although there was no moon. Visibility on the road Was good. No vehicles were encountered after they left Riverlea, except one car which passed him at the bridge at Kaponga. Constable Donoghue said Harding reported the accident to him at 11.50 p.m. He did not take a statement from him that night because Harding was in an extremely shaken condition. Witness found there was practically no damage to the bicycle and there were no marks on the road to indicate what had happened. Hill told him that he had smelt liquor on Meehan. Dr. Gray had said the same. John Caimey, superintendent of the Hawera public hospital, said Meehan was admitted to hospital shortly before midnight. He was unconscious from the time of admission. There was an area of bruising on the left side of his head and the right arm was partly paralysed. His breath smelt slightly of alcohol. He was still unconscious on the 21st and on the 22nd. the paralysis extended to include the right leg and the right side of the face. Meehan died on the 24th. without regaining consciousness. The cause of death was haemorrhage into and laceration of the left side of the brain. The injuries were consistent with a heavy fall on a tar-sealed road. / Dr. T. M. F. Fitzgerald gave evidence of a post-mortem examination and said the injuries were consistent with a heavy fall on the road. PERSONAL. Mrs. J. Borrie, whose death occurred at Manaia on Thursday, was bom at Fortrose, Otago, in 1856. She arrived at Hawera 54 years ago and settled there for a short time before going to Otakeho, where she resided for many years. Her , husband bought land at the first sale in that district and Mrs. Borrie was I among the first white women in the ,' district. In 1907 she went to Manaia, , where she resided until her death. She ; was widely known in South Taranaki . because of her activity in charitable and social work. She had been in ill-health I for some years. Mrs. Borrie is survived , I by twelve of her sixteen children. Her , husband died 18 years ago. The daugh- , ters are Mesdames W. Henson (Hawera), B. Badland (Manaia), C. Jones (Oeo), C. Sproull (Manaia), A. Weir (Lower Hutt) and I. Collins (Hastings) and Miss J. Borrie (Manaia). The sons are Messrs. W. (Onehunga), James (Picton), John . (Manaia), David (Blenheim) and Stuart : Borrie (Picton). ' The general committee of the Egmont L Racing Club yesterday recorded its ap- [ preciation of Mr. A. Good’s years of service on the course committee. L Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Trask, Ormondi ville, are visiting Hawera. Mr. Trask is I a son of Mr. T. Trask. i HAWERA OPERA HOUSE. . OPENING OF “THE LOVE CONTRACT” i Another British picture will be pre- . sented at the Hawera Opera House at the matinee to-day, to-night and on Monday ! night, when Winifred Shotter and Oxyen i Nares will be co-starred in a musical ; comedy “The Love Contract.” The English actress Winifred Shotter has appeared on the screen previously with Tom : ; Walls and Ralph Lynn, and “The Love 1 Contract” marks her first starring vehicle. ; Owen Nares, who will be remembered for i his work in “Sunshine Susie,” is regard- • ed as the most natural actor on the ■ screen to-day. An excellent supporting . programme will be presented.