Newspaper cuttings from years gone by
Source - National Library of New Zealand - Papers Past
INQUEST.
ROSLYN TRAMWAY FATALITY. At the Dunedin Hospital on Saturday night Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., as coroner, opened an inquest on the body of the child Wilhemina Melrose Hendry, who died in the institution on Friday night, as the result of shock and injuries received by being run over in Upper Rattray Street by one of the Roslyn cable cars on the 4th inst. Mr R. R. Douglas was chosen foreman of the jury. The only evidence taken was that of the father of the child, William Gumming Hendry, who identified the body. He stated that the child had on a previous occasion wandered on to the street, and, knowing this, he had taken the precaution to keep the gate closed. On the day of the accident he noticed that the gate leading to the street had been opened, and on going outside his attention was drawn to the cries of a child under a car which had stopped almost opposite his house. The child appeared to have been dragged for a distance of nine or ten feet before the car was pulled up. One of the wheels had passed over the foot and the toes had to be amputated. There was also a cut on the ankle. The child died on Friday night about 6 o'clock. She was one year and ten months of age, and had been walking for seven or eight months - and was strong and healthy. It was decided to adjourn the inquest at this stage until Thursday at 2 o'clock, when the taking of evidence will be resumed in the Magistrate's Court.