ROTORUA MOTOR FATALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1926, Page 3

ROTORUA MOTOR FATALITY.

THE CORONER'S INQUIRY. JURY CENSURES DRIVER. t (By Telegraph.—O~n Correspondent.) ROTORUA, Thursday. The adjourned inquests in respect of the two Maoris named Tieri Tetikao and Taukiri Tieri. the first named being killed on December 24. through an Aanl service oar travelling- from Tauranga to Rotorua plunging over a bank at the l.'i mile peg. the second death occurring on 17th January, was resumed, this mornin.2 at the Rotorua. Court House before Captain Macdonald, J.P. (Coroner) and a jury. Mr. W. A. Carter represented Mrs. Cattanach, the driver of the car. Mr. Roe appeared for the relatives of both the deceased. Dr. Whiteside. King George V. Hospital, gave evidence of attending the scene of the accident ajid examining the male Maori, whom he found dead with a broken neck. The woman, who -was badly injured, "was removed to King George V. Hospital, where she remained until January 15. the injuries chiefly consisting of a fractured spine. She was removed from the hospital by her relatives and died on January 17. jps&et The Number Carried. $!&tT ■ Robert Smedley, Tauranga, saiS that he left Tauranga ■with his wife and daughter on December 24. There *were •five passengers in the car when they started. At Te Puke they dropped one passenger and picked up three. When the car reached the ilo mile peg there were two elderly Maoris "waiting, and & Maori who was seated in front ga-v© up his seat to the lady ac he eald "he tad not far to go and -would ride on the running board." There were then nine passengers on the car beside the driver* Mrs. Cattanach gave the Maori pennl3-\ sion to Tide on the running board, and he held on to the ctoor and framework of the car. He straightened tip on Qw running board and the passengers and driver looked round. The next thing lie (the witness) felt was a, bump and the car went over the bank. He assisted to remove the two Maoris from the car. He believed if the driver had not turned round to look at the Maori on the running board the accident would not have happened. The speed of the car was about 6 miles per hour. '•■ By Mr. Roe: The Maori hay was on the near side running board and was apparently seated oq a tin ■trunk "tint was being carried on the running board. He did not consider the car was overloaded -srith the exception of the boy on the running hoard. Ey Mr. Carter: The boy referred to was between 20 and 30 years of age and weighed about 12 stone. The accident occurred at a corner and he did not hear the driver tell the man to wait for another car. The boy on the running , board appeared to try to sit on the front mud guard, and a3 he sat down he disappeared. Witness did not think he had fallen off. but had thrown himself ofT because he thought the car "was going to turn over. Just after the boy disappeared, witness felt a bump, but he did not recollect any of the other passengers savin? "that they thought the boy might have fallen off the car." lie himself did not think this had happened. The car had moved about half a chain whilst the boy was moving about on the running board. After the accident the driver did all possible for the injured and could not have done more. To the Jury: He travelled on the car from Tauranga and everything was quite satisfactory, but just prior to the accident the car seemed to be on the wrong side. The driver did not make any objection to the Maori boy riding on the running board. The Driver's Story. Mrs. Cattanach stated that she was a licensed motor driver. She left Tauranaa on 24th December last, at 8 a.m., driving a Hudson car licensed to seat seven passengers, .she had five pas- ■ sengers on the car when the journey I started. On arriving at Te Puke, one ! passenger was put off and three more taken on. Two Maoris were taken on the car at the 15 mile peg. YVi Ratu climbed on the running board at the side after being asked to wait for another ear running about half an hour later. After the car had gone 100 yards, the door flew open and he seemed to slide out of sight. Mrs. Cattanach thought he was thrown off and turned the car to the outer edge to avoid running over him. The car went into a hole on the outer side and Mrs. Cattanach applied the brake, but the car started to , tip over and there was no hope of righting it. It turned completely over and landed on the wheels. The car was in splendid order. She had been driving for six years and had never had an accident. The speed of the car was six miles per hour, and s!ie considered thai she used all reasonable care considering the number of passengers and the luggage that was on the car. The only reason which I she ha<l in picking up the two extra passengers at the 15 mile peg was because she knew the car that was following only had room for one. Her license was for a 7-seater car to carry a weight not exceeding two tons. After the tea adjournment, Mrs. Cattanach was subject to a very prolonged examination by her counsel, also by counsel for deceased"-! relatives, and wa's some five hours under examination. Constable McLean also gave evidence. The Jury's Finding. At II p.m. the jury returned a verdict: I "That the deceased. Tieri Tetikao. was i killed as a rp=iil: of a service car driven • by Mrs. Cattanach jroirig over the bank |ar the l.'i mile pcjr on December 24, IP'Jo: jrtl«o that the deceased. Taukiri Tieri. I died on January 17. 1920. as result of injuries received under the same circum[stances. Further, that the jury are of

opinion that Mrs. Cattaaaoh was of culpable negligence in allowing a pae» senger to ride on the footboard, thereby taking her attention off the road, and causing the car to turn, over the and the jury bring in a verdict accordingly; also that the jury is of opinion that her service license should i>Q cancelled. =