CORONER’S COURT DALLINGTON WEIR SAID TO BE DANGER TO LIFE

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28104, 20 October 1956, Page 2

CORONER’S COURT DALLINGTON WEIR SAID TO BE DANGER TO LIFE

A verdict of death by accidental I drowning was returned by the Coroner (Mr E. B E. Taylor) when an inquest was held in the Coroner's Court yesterday into the death of Stephen Patrick Green, aged 6 years 11 months, who fell into the Avon near the Dallington weir on September 29. He had examined the wire netting around the weir and it was no longer sufficient to keep persons off the weir, said Sergeant R. W. Hope. On the Avonside side of the weir, the earth embankments were washed away, and the upper end of the wire netting fence needed repairs. The weir fascinated children, and was a danger to life in its present state. Neil Joseph Hampton, aged 7. and Susan Patricia Dennis, aged 7, said they had been playing with Stephen Green on th" platform beneath the weir when a piece cf board had floated by. Green had attempted to catch it and had sliooed into the water. Clifford Francis Coulter said he had jumped into the water to attempt to save the bov. but before he could get to him he had been carried further downstream. The Coroner and the police thanked

Mr Coulter for his efforts to save the boy. Motor-cyclist’s Death The Coroner found that Ronald Thomas Gavin Minchington. aged 16, died on September 8 from injuries suffered when his motor-cycle collided with a car at the intersection of the Main North road and Douglas street. Alan John Borgfeldt. licensee of the Amberley Hotel, said he had seen Minchington pass the hotel about 530 p.m. on September 8 on his motorcycle. Minchington was sitting on the pillion seat and lying on the tank of his machine. The witness estimated his snood at between 60 and 70 miles an hour. Audrey Agnes Dowling, the driver of the car. said she had signalled a right hand turn into Douglas street, and did not see the motor-cycle until it struck the right hand side of her car. Other Verdicts A verdict of death by asphyxia, due to compression caused by the accidental overturning of a land rover on August 30 was returned by the Coroner at an inquest into the death of Charles lan Cran. aged 28. Constable G. T. Swan said Cran might possibly have mistaken a private driveway in Waimairi road for the main road, and on realising his mistake: have still tried to take the bend, with the result tha* his vehicle overturned. The Coroner found that William Eric irist committed suicide on September 3. his death being due to carbon monoxide poisoning.