ON Monday evening; while driving along the Point Nepean Road, near Martin’s Road, Seaford, Mr. Alexander Waddell Fergusson, draper, of Main Street, Mordialloc, saw some children in the road.
He sounded his horn, and the children moved to the side of the road.
One poor little fellow, however, who appeared to get confused, ran back again, and as a result was struck by the car driven by Mr. Fergusson, and run over.
He was at once conveyed to Dr. Maxwell’s surgery, at Frankston, where upon arrival life was found to be extinct.
The little boy, who proved to be Alexander Douglas Aitchison, aged 4½ years, is a son of Dr. R. Douglas Aitchison, of 1 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park.
An inquest was held at the Frankston Police Station, on Tuesday, February 26, before Mr. Philip Wheeler, J.P.
Jessie M. Gennisken, married woman, residing at Martin’s Road, Seaford, said:
I remember the 25th of February, 1924. At about 7.15pm I was in the Point Nepean Road, Seaford, in company of my son John, aged 11 years, and Alexander Douglas Aitchison, aged 4 years and 6 months.
My son, John, had a little cart, and the deceased was sitting in it. I heard a motor car coming behind us. At that time the deceased boy sprung out of the cart, and ran from one side of the road to the other.
The car was travelling towards Seaford. I cannot remember if the driver sounded the horn or not.
When the car got opposite the deceased boy was standing clear of the road, and appeared to be safe, at this time. The deceased could have run in front of the car without me seeing him, as when the car approached us he was hidden from my view by the motor car.
The next thing I saw was the deceased lying between the rear wheels of the car. At this time the car had dragged the boy some distance.
The driver then stopped and had the boy conveyed to Dr. Maxwell’s surgery, Frankston.
The last time I saw the deceased he was in his usual good health and spirits.
Jack McGennisken, a schoolboy, aged 11 years, corroborated his mother’s evidence, with the exception that he heard the horn sounded.
At the time of the accident the car was travelling at 15 miles an hour.
Alexander Waddell Fergusson said: I am a draper, residing in Main Street, Mordialloc. I remember the 25th February. At about 7.15pm I was driving my motor car along the Point Nepean, Road, Seaford, and when near the intersection of that road and Martin’s Road, I noticed a lady and 2 boys in the centre of the road, going in the same direction as I was.
When approaching them I slowed down, and sounded my horn.
At this time the lady and the bigger boy crossed to the right-hand side of the road, and the smaller boy to the left-hand side.
Just as I was opposite the deceased he attempted to cross the road in front of my car, to where the lady and bigger boy were standing. He was struck by the offside mudguard of my car, and knocked down, and fell under the car.
I at once pulled up, and went to the assistance of the lad, and picked him up and had him conveyed at once to Dr. Maxwell’s surgery, at Frankston, where he was examined by Dr. Maxwell.
At the time of the accident I was travelling at the rate of about 15 miles an hour. At that time the only other vehicle on the road was a motor lorry, which was some distance behind, travelling in the same direction, the driver of which stopped and rendered assistance.
Dr. Charles Maxwell, duly qualified medical practitioner, residing at Frankston, said:
On the evening of the 25th of February, at about 7.30pm, I was called to the surgery, and there saw the body of the child Alexander Douglas Aitchison in the arms of Alexander Waddell Fergusson. The child was dead. There were very severe injuries to the head.
Death would probably occur in a few minutes, owing to the severe nature of the injuries to the head and shock and neuro-paralysis.
After hearing the evidence the Coroner found that the deceased died from injuries caused by being struck by a motor car, and that death was due to misadventure. No blame was attached to the driver of the car.
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ON Sunday last the public were again subjected to great inconvenience by the failure of the electric light.
The churches were amongst those who suffered most. At St. Paul’s Church, where they depend solely upon the electric light, they had to have recourse to candles.
However, at the Methodist Church, they were a little better circumstanced, having gas to fall back on.
On this occasion, however, the fault was not local, as the current had been shut off from 7am until 8.10pm, from some cause, in Melbourne.
We understand that Dandenong and other towns were similarly circumstanced.
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WE understand that Mr. Ben Baxter, who was playing in the test match on Wednesday last, should really not have been playing that day, having received an injury to one of his legs, the sinews of which had been badly strained, on the previous Saturday.
From personal experience we know this to be a most painful injury, and trust that it will soon be quite all right again.
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Letter to the Editor
The Moorooduc Quarry – a mountain of stone badly managed
Sir,
This quarry has had a run of about four years, and has resulted in a loss of £16,000.
The engine has done its part, and it is now getting worn out. It earned nothing for repairs. The jaws of the crusher are getting worn, and so are the jaws of the ratepayers, asking when will the profit come.
The elevator takes another turn, and the wind blows through the screen. That is what has happened to one of the best situated quarries in Victoria.
From the opening of that quarry, it should have shown no loss. The machinery was in good working order. All along the line it has been badly managed, and extra, badly managed.
If such was not the case, it could not have shown a loss of £16,000.
I have a lifetime’s experience to guide me, therefore I feel safe when I say, that the same quarry should not be called a white elephant, but under good management, a gold mine.
One of the best investments ever the Council had. The stone has a sure sale, and no prospecting to find it.
Yet all the while the ratepayers are putting their hands deeply into their pockets to find a few more pounds to carry it along.
I fearlessly say to them, there is a profit of £10 per day to be got after certain alterations, and £15 per day by the end of six to eight months.
Now, I consider the present plant would be earning all it could but by gravitation, a large receiving bin, a loop line, and large orders for stone, £25 to £50 per day is there.
All stone to be sold at 7/- per yard, on the railway trucks, at Moorooduc quarry siding. I predicted from the start of that quarry it would be a failure, and to date it has proved it.
With the same experience behind it can predict it to be turned from a white elephant to a profitable quarry, and the ratepayers will not be asked more of it, as they are today.
I am, etc.,
GEO. NELSON.
Baxter, February 25.
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From the pages of the Frankston and Somerville Standard, 27 & 29 Feb 1924
First published in the Mornington News – 27 February 2024
