A CYCLIST KILLED

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 155, 27 March 1926, Page 9

A CYCLIST KILLED

MOTORIST SAID TO DRIVE ON.

By Telegraph.—Press Association

Invercargill, March 26. At eight o’clock on the night of March 8 Frederick Witty, a meat inspector at the Municipal Abattoirs, was struck by a motor-car at the corner of North Road and Elgin Street, while cycling home. He died shortly afterwards as the result of his injuries. The motorist, apparently, did not stop, but drove on. An inquest into the circumstances was held before the Coroner (Mr. G. Cruickshank) this afternoon.

Witnesses stated that Witty - was in good health, and was riding slowly on the left of the . road. He had a light on his bicycle, and a reflector at the rear.

Martin Horan, a labourer, said that he saw a Ford motor-car travelling about 30 m.p.h. along the North Road after, dark on the evening in question. He heard a crash, and saw the car bump over something. The car did not stop. Witness went to investigate, and found Witty badly injured. John Dyson Dennison, engineer to the Southland County Council, said that on March 8 at 8 p.m. he was driving along North Road. Another car passed with brilliant lights, and he dimmed his lights. Something struck the windscreen and shattered glass. Witness stopped his car ssnd went back to investigate, but it was dark, and he could find nothing. Next he heard was that there had been an accident, and he immediately communicated with the police. The broken windscreen was the only damage to the car.

Ewart Hanna, who was in the front seat of the car with Dennison, corroborated Dennison’s evidence,. He said that no bump was felt at the time. Glass, from the windscreen cut his face and injured the sight of the left eye. Dennison was quite sober. The inquest was adjourned until Monday to hear the evidence of tthe doctor and a constable.