A FATAL COLLISION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12761, 3 October 1919, Page 5

A FATAL COLLISION.

THE CORONER’S VERDICT.

“ ACCIDENTALLY RUN OVER.” Mr S. E. M’Carthy, District Coroner, conducted an inquest yesterday afternoon into the death of Annie Elizabeth Farrell, a married woman, who lived at 23, Halkett Street, Sydenham, and who was run over by a tradesman’s trap at the corner of Moorhouse Avenue and Montreal Street on Wednesday afternoon, and was immediately killed. George Blakeway, fruiterer, 1 49, Yaldhurst Road, said that ho was driving along Moorhouse Avenue soon after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, going from Antigua Street towards the railway goods shed. He was on the left-hand side, and was driving a spring trap with twelve hundredweight of fruit. Near Montreal Street he saw a woman come on to the street about ten or twelve yards away. She came from the direction of the Crown Hotel. His horse was going at a slow trot. The woman had her head down and was holding on to her hat. A high wind was blowing. When she came close and when she was a couple of yards off he sang out to her, but she did not stop. He tried to pull up the horse. She went straight on after he called out. The horse struck her, and she screamed. She was knocked down. The left wheel of the trap went over her body. Two men carried her away and placed her on the footpath. She did not speak or move after the accident. It was not possible for him to pull up the horse in time.to avoid the accident. The woman had no appearance of having taken liquor. Dr Allen Douglas Anderson said that he had certified that death had taken place. He could not make an examination for injuries at the time because ho was on his way to give an anaesthetic to a patient.

Constable A. H. Williams, stationed at Sydenham, said that about 3.20 p.m. he received a telephone message asking him to send a constable to the scene of the accident. The ambulance was already there. The person who rang up did not state the extent of the injuries. He gathered that tin woman had been knocked down some ten or fifteen minutes before he received the message. He reached the scene within the following ten minutes, and viewed the body, which was lying on the footpath covered with two bags. There was a pool of blood all around the head. One shoe was pulled off and there was* a gash on the instep. Ho took the body to the morgue. Hugh M’Culkmgh, railway fireman, said that he saw the accident. Deceased seemed to hesitate. She was crossing from the direction of uho Crown How; to the other side of Moorhens Avenue. He did not fee any cart coming Vdong. He first saw' the cart when the horse struck deceased. She seemed to hesitate directly in front of the horse, which seemed to stand on her. Ho concluded that she had not seen the hors© and cart. She* appeared quite sober. When he arrived on the scene two men had carried her to the footpath. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased was killed bv being accidentally run over by a horse and trap driven by George Blakeway, who used all diligence to avoid the accident, and was not guilty of negligence.