DEATHS
RUMNEY. — On January 27, 1936 (result of an accident at Paretai), Arthur Ian, dearly beloved eldest son of Arthur and Minnie Rumney; aged five years and 10 months. Sadly missed. — Funeral intimation later. -Otago Daily Times, 28/1/1936.
Five-year-old Boy Killed by Motor Truck
Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Last Night.
A five-year-old boy, Arthur Ian Rumney, son of Mr Arthur Rumney, farmer, of Paretai, near Balclutha, was struck by a motor-truck near his home on Monday afternoon. He was unconscious when picked up and died in hospital a few hours later. The boy ran round from behind a mail car on the side of the road and was struck by a truck driven by Leonard Callahan. -Manawatu Times, 29/1/1936.
PARETAI FATALITY
DEATH OF A BOY
CORONER'S INQUEST
(Special to Daily Times) BALCLUTHA, January 29.
An inquest on the body of Arthur Ian Rumney, aged five years and 10 months, who was killed on Monday afternoon when he was hit by a motor truck on the Balclutha-Port Molyneux main road at Paretai, was held last night before the coroner, Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M. — Constable Buchanan conducted the inquiry on behalf of the police, Mr Kelly appeared on behalf of J. Thurlow, the driver of the mail bus concerned in the accident, and Mr Walter appeared for the owner of the bus, Duncan McKechnie.
Arthur Rumney, dairy farmer, Paretai, father of deceased, said that about 3.20 on Monday the child went out to collect the mail on the arrival of the bus, which was proceeding from Kaka Point to Balclutha. Coming back across the road from the mail bus he was struck by the motor truck, which was going towards Port Molyneux. Witness found the child lying on the road in a crouched position. The letter box, which the boy had gone to clear, was on the opposite side of the road.
William Maclaurin, house surgeon at Balclutha Hospital, said that he was called to the scene of the accident about 3.45 p.m., and found the child unconscious. The boy was gravely injured, suffering from a comminuted fracture of the skull, a fracture of the right thigh bone, a severe laceration above the right knee, and various bruises. He failed to regain consciousness, and died about 8 p.m. The injuries were consistent with being knocked down by a truck. The immediate cause of death was laceration of the brain.
Leonard Callahan, storekeeper, Port Molyneux, said that on the day in question he was driving a half-ton truck from Paretai, where he had been assisting Mr Cuthbertson in haymaking. He left for home with two companions (Frank and Walter Wright) about 3.20. Approaching Rumney's on the main road he saw the mail bus drawn in to the wrong side of the road. Witness was travelling at 25 miles an hour, and when he saw the bus he slightly braked, but did not sound his horn. He saw the boy run from the back of the bus across the front of the truck, and the right front mudguard struck him and carried him a distance of 48ft. Witness jammed his brakes hard on, but was unable to avoid the boy.
Frank Wright and Walter Wright, passengers in the truck, and Mrs Flora Anderson, a passenger in the bus, gave corroborative evidence.
John Shaw Thurlow, bus driver employed by D. McKechnie, of Kaka Point, said he had been on the route for over two years. On the day in question he left Kaka Point at 3 p.m. and pulled up at Rumney's at 3.20. The child came from the rear of the bus, and got his mail. The open door of the bus would obscure his view of the road. When the boy left witness heard a grind of brakes, and jumping out he found the deceased lying crumpled up on the road behind the bus, and on the opposite side of the road. Witness did not see the truck coming, nor did he hear it. He was of opinion that if the truck had been speeding it would have turned over, judging from where it stopped.
Constable Buchanan produced a plan of the scene of the accident, and said it was 48 feet from the postal box to the spot where the boy was picked up. In a practical test of the truck with Callahan driving, he found that, travelling at a speed of 20 miles an hour, the truck could be stopped in 20 feet by the brakes, which were in good order.
The coroner commented on the circumstance that after the accident the truck did not seem to have been stopped until it had travelled 70 or 80 feet.
A verdict was returned that the deceased had died as a result of being struck by a motor truck driven by Leonard Callahan. -Otago Daily Times, 30/1/1936.
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE
MR and Mrs RUMNEY and Mr WATSON wish to Thank the sisters, nurses, and doctors for their kind attention; also his teacher, Miss Skinner, Mrs , Hughes, the Women's Institute, and School Committee, and all other kind friends for their messages of sympathy and floral tributes in their sad bereavement. -ODT, 5/2/1936.
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