CORONER'S VERDICT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 230, 28 September 1934, Page 3

CORONER'S VERDICT.

INQUEST HELD AT ROTORUA.

EVIDENCE BY EYE-WITNESS,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) EOTORUA, Thursday.

A verdict that death was due to a fracture of the skull resulting from the ;ar in which deceased was travelling, ■ind which was driven by Charles Edwards, crashing into a stationary motor lorry, owned by Messrs. Lee Brothers, was returned to-day by the coroner, Mr. \V. L. Richards, at the adjourned inquest into the death of Ronald lies, aged 24, who was fatally injured in a motor collision on August 24, and died in the King George V. Hospital on August 20. Senior-Sergeant Carrol represented the police, Mr. Tompkins appeared on behalf of the driver of the car, Mr. Burton for the mother of the deceased, amd Mr. Dingle for Messrs. Lee Brothers, into whose truck the car crashed.

Dr. Mackereth, medical superintendent .if the King George V. Hospital, stated that lies was semi-conscious on arrival *nd could not give any account of what had happened. He had a vertical wound on the right forehead, extending up from the eyebrow for about 3in, and an

obvious depression in the skull. He resained consciousness on tha morning of August 25, but later lapsed back to unconsciousness.

Victor Thomas Gordon, a driver employed 'by the- Rotorua Borough Council, jaid that about 5.50 p.m. he was walking in the direction of Koutu when he noticed a motor lorry standing- outside Jjee Brothers' store. The lorry was facing Rotorua and was on the opposite side to the store. He also noticed a truck proceeding toward Ngongotaha and a car coming toward Rotorua. These two vehicles passed about half a chain past the stationary lorry. The car's lights were burning. As the car approached the stationary lorry he saw that a collision was 'imminent. The driver of the car swerved in an endeavour to avoid the lorry, but failed to clear, and the crash occurred. A plank front the side of the lorry penetrated the windscreen of the car, and the lorry was carried along- "by the force of the impact. The ear carried on for fome distance with the plank from the lorrv still stuck through the windscreen.

Witness said he went to the assistance of the occupants of the car. Upon opening the right-hand door, the driver fell into his arms in a half-dazed condition. Witness experienced great difficulty in removing lies, having first to remove the plank, which was still embedded through the windscreen.

Replying to questions, witness estimated the° speed of the car at 30 to 35 miles an hour.

Walter Wyndham Lee, builder, of Rotorua, said lie parked the lorry on the road at 5 p.m. At about 5.40, while in his shop, he heard a crash. The truck was carried 30ft by the force of the impact. Two of the floor boards and three of the cross members were broken, and the back of the cab was dented in about Gin. The truck was owned'by Lee Brothers. The lights were not burning at the time of the accident. Tie driver cf the car was quite sober.