KNOCKED DOWN BY MOTOR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17389, 9 September 1924, Page 5

KNOCKED DOWN BY MOTOR.

DEATH OF HENRY GERARD Bek Phil?s Association. WELLINGTON. September 8. In delivering his finding in the inquiry into the death of Henry Gerard, who was knocked down and killed bv ;■ motor car on tbe night of August 23. the coroner remarked that from the evidence it was obvious that tho car that knocked him down was not in very good order. Uhie brake was useless. the other was good. The car carried one headlight and one dimmer and was being driven on the right side of the road at a reasonable speed. Deceased was walking on the bitumen track and must have seen the car as it was approaching. There was not sufficient or satisfactory direct evidence to enable the Court to fiud an affirmative verdict that Afarris, the car-driver was guilty of negligence. Visibility of the bitumen track was known to he nor good, and even a careful driver might have difficulty in picking up an unlighted object such as this man was. The coroner expressed the opinion that there was a clear duty on the part of Marris to stop immediately after the accident, a duty according to the regulations and also from the point of view of ordinary humanity. The finding was that death was the result of injuries received through being knocked down by a motor-car driven by William Frederick Alarris.