ADELAIDE ROAD FATALITY

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 139, 9 December 1918, Page 8

ADELAIDE ROAD FATALITY

ADJOURNED INQUEST CONTINUED. The adjourned inquest into the circumstances of the death of Dinnie Diver, at the Wellington Hospital, on 9th November, following his being knocked down, by a hospital ambulance, driven by Arthur Sinclair, was continued by Mr. W. 6. Biddell, S.M., this afternoon. Senior-Sergeant Crean appeared for the police, Mr. M. Myers for Sinclair, Mr. P. J. o'Regan for the relatives of the deceased, Mr. J. Tripe for the City Corporation,-and Mr. F. W. Ward for the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. John Bernard Steele, an employee of the Union Clothing Company, stated that he had alighted from tram-car No. 52, and was standing near the Tramway Hotel when the accident took place. As he alighted from the tram, he heard the ambulance bell and, looking down the road towards the approaching ambulanoe, saw the deceased three or five feet from the opposite pavement, walking slowly across the road at an angle. Up to that moment, witness had not seen the ambulance, but a moment later he saw it approaching on the left side of the road. It then swerved in to the right behind the tram-car as if to head the deceased -rtS, and struck the man in about the middle of the road.

Witness considered that had the deceased walkedl straight across the road the ambulance could have gone straight ahead, but witness considered that the angle at which the man was crossing the road itself made an obstruction which blocked the road straight ahead. Had the driver continued 1 straight ahead an accident would have occurred. Witness considered that the driver's best chance was to swerve to the right as he did. Apparently the ambulance did not slow down after the alarm was sounded. The deceased should have heard the gong, but he made no sign, but walked straight on. If deceased had' turned round and seen the vehicle witness considered the accident could have been avoided. (Proceeding.)