FOUND ON ROADSIDE

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 156, 29 March 1926, Page 4

FOUND ON ROADSIDE

YOUTH DIES OF INJURIES MOTOR-CYCLIST CHARGED “I CAN REMEMBER NOTHING” ‘ “-Dominion” Special. Palmerston North, March 27. On the evening of March 22, a pass ing motorist discovered m Rangitikei Line the unconscious form of Maurice Stewart, aged 18, lying in the middle of the road, and had him removed to hospital. The injured youth never recovered consciousness, and died. As a result, an inquest was held be fore the Coroner, Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M.. at the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court to-day, and upon a verdict being returned that deceased died'as a result of being knocked off his machine by a motor-cyclist named Herbert Michael Bailey, an assistant cheese-maker, of Newbury, the latter was charged by the police with causing Stewart’s death through negligent driving, and was remanded until Thursday, bail being allowed.

In evidence, Jesse Selwyn, motor company manager, deposed that deceased had been in his employ for 12 months, and lived in Rangitikei Line. His general health was good, and he was sober, steadv and reliable.

W. Hunter Will, medical practitioner, deposed to having been called to Rangitikei Line. Deceased was lying off the centre of the road in an unconscious condition, and bleeding freely from the nose, mouth, and left ear. Witness could find no serious cuts, but after making a general examination he assumed deceased was suffering from a fractured i skull. The distance between the body and the bicycle was eleven yards. Deceased had evidently been knocked off and the machine had been carried on by its own momentum. To the Coroner witness said it did not seem as if deceased had been dragged at all. . Continuing, witness said deceased s injuries were consistent with his having been struck forcibly from behind by a motor-cycle. Witness ordered the removal of the body to hospital. He identified a bicycle (produced) as the one he had found that night beside deceased. There was no obstruction on thft road that might have caused deceased to fall.

z Lying in Centre of Road. The evidence of John Harold Watt, motor garage proprietor, Of Rangitikei Street, was to the effect that on the night in question he was driving a motor-car from Fielding to Palmerston North. When going down Rangitikei Line on the other side of Whisky Creek he saw a man pushing or standing by a motor-cycle going towards Newbury. The machine had no lights. The time was then about 9.45 p.m. About a mile or so further on witness saw what he at first thought to be a sack lying on the road. It proved to be deceased, whereupon witness hailed a passing motor-cyclist and sent him for medical assistance. Witness spoke to deceased, who was very badly injured, but received no response. It was not until later that witness discovered the cycle. To witness it appeared as if deceased had been knocked off the machine. There was some broken glass on the road a few feet on the Palmerston side of the" body. When deceased had been removed to town witness informed the police of the occurrence and returned to tho spot with Constable Belt.

Probably Did Not Fall. Dr. Fraser, medical superintendent at the Palmerston North Hospital, stated in evidence that deceased was admitted to the institution in an injured and unconscious condition. He never recovered consciousness and died at 5.35 p.m. the following day. Upon examination of the brain it was found to be very congested,. with internal haemorrhage, which was sufficient to account for death. Deceased must have been struck with force to have sustained such injuries, and that he had merely 'fallen from the bicycle was not likely. Witness 'had been in conversation with deceased before the accident, and the boy was then in quite good health. Constable Bell gave evidence of the examination he had carried out at tho scene of the accident. He could find no lamp belonging to the bicycle.

A Motor That Passed. Harold Pedersen,' of Rangitikei Line, stated that at about nine o’clock on the night of the accident he was standing in Rangitikei Line talking with some friends, when deceased passed on a bicycle. In view of the speed at which deceased was travelling, witness made a remark, but deceased gave no reply. Deceased had no light attached to his bicycle. Shortly afterwards a man named Bert Bailey passed on a motorcycle, and a companion of witness hailed him, but received no response. Bailey had. a light attached to his machine, and was travelling at a speed between 35 and 40 miles an hour. Nobody else passed that way after deceased before Bailey did so. Constable Thom stated in evidence that on the Tuesday morning he visited Bailey at his residence at Newbury, and found him in bed. He had obviously sustained injuries recently. In answer to questions Bailey said he had been injured through falling off his motor-cycle rn the main road near the factory at Newbury. Witness examined the motorcycle, which he found to be in a damaged condition. The headlight had been broken, and there were bloodstains on the front of the machine. To witness, Bailey had said he remembered passing three young men on the road, but after that h'is mind was a blank. He remembered pushing the motor cycle through the gate at his home, but could not remember placing it in the shed.

Bailey Gives Evidence. Herbert Michael Bailey, a young man, who had his head swathed in bandages, one eye closed, and a cut beneath it, was then called. "Before you answer any questions, I think I might tell you that it is possible you will be called upon to answer to a serious charge in another Court,” saifd tho Coroner. "So if you do not want to, you need not answer any questions that might be likely to incriminate you. You need say nothing that would do that.” It would be better, added the Bench, if witnjss refused to give any evidence until fie had obtained a solicitor. Witness: “All that I have to say would not do any harm." Mr. Stout': “Well, I just warned .you," In answer to questions, witness then stated that on the night of March 22 he had been into town, and shortly after nine o’clock was returning on his motor-cycle to Newbury. Ho was travelling at 20 or 25 miles an hour. Just by the Mangaone bridge witness, passed three youths, and answered a hail from one of them. Tho next thing he remember ed was nicking himself up from the metalled road outside the IJewbury factory. He could not state the time. His motorrvr’c -.vnc "Cnrhv nn<l ho pushed if 11m short remaining distance to the gate. From that spot to where he passed the boys on the road was about three miles. Witness’s machine was in good order when he left Palmerston North, while the lamp was in the same condition. Re only became Aware of the present state of the machine when it was shown to him by Constable Thom. Re knew the road fairly well. Witness could not account for his injuries. He was quite sober at the time. It was a fine, clear night, and there was nothing to prevent witness from seeing anybody else on the road.

. Charged with Negligence. "So far as,this inquest is concerned, I think there is no doubt that the cause of death was as stated by Dr. Fraser—internal haemorrhage of the brain, caused by injuries received by tfie deceased’s being knocked off his cycle by a motor-cycle ridden by Herbert Bailey, said the Bench in summing 'up.

“I do not. think I should discuss the evidence in this case, as there might be further proceedings instituted by the police,” fie added and returned a verdict in accordance with his remarks. Bailey was then charged bv the police under section 27 of the Motor Vehicles

Act, 1924, "That on March 22, In Rangitikei Line, Palmerston North, he did negligently drive a motor-cycle and thereby caused the death of Maurice Stew-art. On the application of Senior-Sergeant O’Grady, accused was remanded to Thursday next. ... „ Bail was allowed in the sum of .£l5O, with two sureties of £75.