i AN OPEN VERDICT

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 116, 13 November 1919, Page 4

AN OPEN VERDICT

TAXI-CAB FATALITY

DEATH OF MRS. MABEL BLACK,

THE CORONER'S REMARKS.

The adjourned inque6t regarding the deatli of Mrs. Mabel Black was concluded before the Coroner, Mr. W. G. Riddell, yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Black was knocked down by a car driven by Benet Barker Williams, on 6th November, and killed almost instantaneously. Detective-Sergeant Scott conducted the case for the police, and Mr. E. M. Beechey represented Williams. William Evans, a labourer, said that hevivae at Courtenay-place at 2.25 p.m. |on the day of the accident. He proceeded to cross the intersection 'towards Majoribanks-street, when he saw the motor-car run over Mrs. Black. There was no other traffic about at the time. The car went right over the deceased and then proceeded about forty or fifty | feet before coming to a stop. He thought the oar was traveling about 15 miles per hour. Witness spoke to the driver, who said that it was no fault of his, as tho woman hesitated. In . witness's own opinion Mrs Black did not hesitate, J and as far as he could see there was no reason for the accident. In answer to Detective-Sergeant Scott, witness-said that he could smell drink on the driver. Mr. Beechey : '.'What do you mean by the last remark—that the driver was under the influence of drink?"—"l do not suggest that he was under the influence of liquor, but he had certainly had some drinks." Mr. ISeechey: "Did you hear the horn sounded?"_ —"I am prepared to swear that the Horn was not sounded." The Coroner: "Is youivtoearing good?" —"Yes, very good." Mr. Beechey: "How did you acquire your knowledge of speed? . Have you any special knowledge?"—" No." "Did you measure tho distances you have mentioned?"—"l'stepped them out in my own way." "There is no possibility of your having made a mistake as to where the accident occurred?"—"No possibility whatever." William Charles Farrar, a cadet in the Post and Telegraph Department, said he was standing in Kent-terrace outside a- shop now in course of erection He-saw the car in Kent-terrace, and it then proceeded across tho crossing at a fast speed. He s;nv the deceased walking across -towards i Courtenay-plico. Apparently the driver and deceased did not see each other until the car was | within a, few yards of Mrs. Black, who then commenced to rim. The car did not stop at all, and.went right on to the footpath before coming to a stands still. He did not hear any horn sounded Alice Barry Martin, who . lives in j Hawker-street, said, that she was in ! Courtenay-place, together with Ivy Alice Stevens. Witness saw a motor-car approaching from. Kent-terrace, and at the time passed a remark about the snoed at which it was travelling. She did not hear a horn sounded before the accident occurred. She did not notice any slackening of the speed. Mr Beechey: "What drew your attention to the car?"—" The speed at which the car was travelling." Mr. Beechey called Miss Mary Powell, who said she was a passenger in the car at the time of the accident. In her opinion tho car was not travelling faster than a tramcar. The horn was sounded twice in Kent-terrace, once just as the car was turning into Courtenay-place'. She heard the horn distinctly. She did not hear the deceased scream; in fact, she did not know that an accident had occurred. To the Coroner: Her hearing was good. - Benefc Barker Williams, the driver of the car, said he was licensed as.-a taxidriver in June, Prior to 6th November, he had had no accidents. He was going about IS miles an hour down Kent-ter-race, and as he was about to cross the intersection ho saw a lady, wearing a white coat. On his blowing his horn, slip, stopped and looked in his direction, and then proceeded on her way Ho was about 35 to 40 yards away from the deceased when ho first noticed her. Ho reduced his speed on approaching the tramline to ten miles per hour. Mrs. Black was continuing on her Way, and witness/ doubted if she had seen him. He was about ten yards from deceased then, and he blew his horn again. Mrs. Black then stopped, and went backwards nnd forwards. Thinking his course was clear, ho proceeded on his way. Ho liad his foot-brake on, easing up, tho whole way. As Mrs. Black mado to run, the right mud-guard struck her. Had deceased stood still tho car would havo missed her.

To the Coroner: He did not apply tho brakes as soon as he struck Mrs. Black, but swung the car round instead. After pulling up, he went to render what assistanco he could, and later took Mrs. Black to the Hospital. To Mr. Beechey: There was no other

traffic about, except for a few pedestrians. To the Coroner- When going at a rate of 15 miles, he could pull his car up in 16ft. At eight miles he could pull up in 10ft. Tho Coroner: " Were your brakes in good order?"— They were passed by the • motor inspector." Frederick William M'Courtie, assistant motor, and traffic inspector for, the City of Wellington, said Mr. Williams was a good driver, and as far"as the corporation was concerned he was quite capable. ! THE FINDING. I In giving his verdict, the Coroner | stated that the evidence went to show that the deceased left her home at 2.20 j p.m. on 6th November, in order to go to I the city, and at 2.30 p.m. she was knocked down by a motor-car driven by tho witness Williams. As a result of inI juries received she died. The weight of evidence went to show that-the car was travelling at a fairly high rate of speed. The defendant stated that he was going down Kent-terrace, and crossing into he went by the usual route. Williams also said that he slackened his pace down to eight miles per hour. 'The weight of evidence was against that, and he must accept the evidence of those independent witnesses who said that the car kept on at the one pace. Courtenayplace was a crossing at which the speed must be limited if the safety of pedestrians and vehicular traffic was to be ensured. The regulation speed was six miles per hour, and if drivers.went at a greater pace they must do so at their own risk. Williams further stated that deceased went backwards and forwards before his car, but.agaiii tho weight of evidence was against this. He did not propose to bring in a finding of negligence, as probably other proceedings would follow, and he would therefore return an' open verdict. If Williams was going at eight miles per hour, lie should have been able to bring his car to a standstill in a fairly short space of time. The verdict, would be that deceased died at Wellington on 6th November from injuries received as a result of being knocked down by a motor-car driven by Benet Barker Williams.