MOTOR CYCLE CRASH.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 161, 9 July 1926, Page 9

MOTOR CYCLE CRASH.

COLLISION IN MANUKAU ROAD.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.

"ACCIDENTAL DEATH," SAYS CORONER.

Returning from a dance on his motor cycle, just after midnight on June 23, Owen Humphrey Bray (19) crashed into a sanitary cart on Manukau Road and received injuries from which he died a short time later. To-day Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., inquired into the circumstances touching hie death. The story of the smash was told by John Haddon Hartley. Returning about midnight from a dance in Ranfurly Road, witness was riding a motor bicycle, and his brother was on the machine behind him. Deceased was also riding a motor bicycle, and Frederick Hem pieman was riding behind him. "We were riding along Manukau Road, and deceased was in front. Just before the accident I was travelling at a speed ■if 30 miles per hour. I was overtaking deceased when I suddenly noticed a red light ahead. I was on my proper side of the road, well into the "footpath, and I was riding practically in the track of deceased. I shut off the engine and ewung out to the right in a wide sweep, so as to give deceased room to swing out and avoid the obstacle ahead. Apparently deceased did not see the red light of the sanitary cart and dashed straight into the rear of it. Deceased was travelling about 27 miles per hour at the time. I returned immediately, and found Hempleman lying flat on the tramline. There did not seem to be any life in Hempleman. I found Bray lying on the concrete road with the motor bicycle on his chest. With the assistance ofthe driver of the sanitary cart the two injured men were removed to the side of the road," concluded witness. John Brown, who was in charge of the sanitary cart at the time of the accident, said that when the cart was about ten yards past Hayden Avenue he felt a sudden bump. There was a crash, and the horses bolted. Witness pulled them up in some 200 yards. He then rushed to see what was wrong, and saw a young man lying beneath a motor bicycle , , which was badly knocked about. Another motor cyclist was sent for a doctor. There was a red and white light on the cart at the time, and both were burning brightly. There was no reason at afi why they should not have seen the lights. By the sound of the machines it appeared that they were going pretty fast. An ambulance was sent'for, but deceased died before he could be admitted to the Hospital The coroner found that deceased died from severe injuries received throuo-h accidentally colliding with a sanitary cart while riding his motor bicycle.