MOTOR-VAN FATALITY

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 89, 14 April 1917, Page 6

MOTOR-VAN FATALITY

COLLISION AT LYALL BAY

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Courthouse to-day by the City Coroner, Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., concerning the death of Patrick Joseph O'Callaghan, of Lyall Bay, who was knocked down by a motor van on Tuesday night last. Senior-Sergt. Emerson conducted the. case for the police, while Mr. H. F. O'Leary represented deceased's relatives, and Mr. H. E. Evans the driver of the van, Thomas Edgar Gray. '.

Dr. Frederick j. Mulholland, house surgeon- at the- Wellington Hospital, stated that deceased was admitted to that institution at 9.45 p.m. on the 10th inst. He was suffering from general injuries and shock. He had a number of abrasions all over his body. Deceased made no statement beyond saying that he was knocked down. He died at 8.50 p.m. on the 11th. 1 The external injuries received "by deceased would not hays caused death.

To Mr. Evans : There were no indications of anytMng abnormal about deceased's heart.

Patrick J. O'Collaghan, son of deceased, stated that the latter was 58 years of age, and a widower. His general state of health during the .past nine or ten months had been good.

To Mr. Evans : Witness could not say whether his father ever, suffered from heart trouble. .

Charles Joseph Clark, proprietor of the hot salt water baths at Lyall Bay, stated that at 6.45 p.m. on the 10th, his attention was attracted by a crash of glass, followed by cries of "Help! help! I've killed a man." He went out and saw deceased lying on the road, and quite unconscious. Deoeased was taken into the bath house, and everything possible was done for him. Dr. Jacobson was communicated with, and he arrived at 7.25, a.nd ordered deceased's removal to. the Hospital. When witness went out first the driver was very much upset, and hardly aware of what he was doing. The night was extremely dark, and it was raining.

To" Mr. O'Leary : At the spot where the accident occurred the road was very badly formed. .There were no footpaths. On the night of the 10th it was not possible to see more than five or six yards ahead. < "" .

Thomas Edgar Gray; driver of the van, residing at 87, Britomart-street, stated that he was driving from Lyall Bay to Island Bay, and the collision took place about a chain past the salt-water baths. He was travelling about fifteen miles an hour, and his head and tail lights were burning It was a very dirty nighfc, extremely dark, and there was a drizzling rain. There was; no traffic on the road. He saw deceased, who was going, in the same direction as the car. " From the time I saw him until I struck him," said witness, '.' I had no opportunity of giving any warning. I was travelling in the centre of the road." The front part of the car struck deceased, who fell to the ground. Witness swerved the car to the left, travelling about fifteen yards before he pulled up. then weni back to deceased, and called for help. In the bathhouse he complained of his neck, but said no; thing about the accident. There were two acetylene lights on the front of the ■car, and they burned brightly. Witness stated that he had had only three' months' experience as a driver. He had a certificate issued 'by the City Council.

To Mr. O'Leary: He was employed by Messrs. J. Nathan and Co., and had been driving the van for a fortnight. He lit his'lamps while at Lyall Bay, and they failed once owing to the poor quality of the carbide. He replenished his lamps at the bay. He could not see the road at all through the screen of the van. Mr. O'Leary: If you could not see the road, don't you think that 15 miles per hour was rather fast on such a night?

Witness: I was looking round the screen.; , , -

The Coroner returned a verdict to the effect that deceased met his death through being knocked down'by the van driven by Gray. It was not for, the Coroner's Court to say whether the driver was guilty of negligence. Thati might be the subject of other proceedings.