KARORI FATALITY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 99, 27 April 1923, Page 8

KARORI FATALITY

YOUNG BOY KILLED

HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED,

The circumstances of the recent sad mo. tor fatality at Mansfield's corner, Karori, ag a result of which a boy named Herbert Reginald Johnson, thirteen years of age, lost his life through being knocked down by a car driven by F. F. Barley, were investigated by the Coroner, Mr. P. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day. . Evidence for the police was called by Senior-Detective Lewis, and the driver of the car was represented by Messrs. P. H. Putnam and W. L. Rosenberg. According to Dr. Charles Pulton Pattie, fracture of the skull was the obvious cause of death, which had probably been instantaneous. The chairman of the Bylaws Committee of the City Council, Martin M. F. Luckie, produced copies of the bylaws referring to motor traffic. It was -illegal for a motor-car to pass a stationary tram; it had previously been legal for a motor to pass on the offside of a stationary car, but this particular section had been repealed. Mansfield's Corner, Karori, was' in the city, and was subject to the bylaw fixing the maximum speed at which a motor could turn a corner at six miles per hour. The position of certain warning notices to motorists to , "look out for trams," and "not to exceed six miles per hour" was described by Lewis Smith Drake, chief motor vehicle inspector for the City Council. "I consider this rather a dangerous corner," continued witness, "and one where extreme caution should be exercised by motorists. It is a right angle bend, and one cannot see what is coming." The Coroner: "It is obviously a very dangerous corner. That is why all these notices, five within a few hundred yards, are erected." Bryan Edward Ash, a twelve-year-old boy, who was with the deceased when the mishap occurred, said that on the eveningl in question, about 5.30 o'clock, they were standing on the edge of the footpath near Jenkins's store. Both had bicycles, which were standing in the gutter, and were being supported by tlie boys. The deceased was on the Wellington side and was facing Karori. He would not be able to see anything coming up the hill. "There was a car coming up and a car going down," continued witness, "and the next thing I saw was a motor-car ! coming from town. • It shot up to the footpath and knocked one of the bicycles on to my leg. I did not actually see Reg get knocked over. Ido not' remember any warning being given to 'get out of the road,' and I <fia not hear a, motor horn sounded. I just saw the motor spring on to the footpath, and I jumped to get out of the way." A tram-conductor, John Charles William Kelly, said that he was in charge of a car proceeding to Karori on the evening in question. Just as the tram was approaching the kerb a motor-car which had been following the tram, gained on it and passing across the back, knocked down a boy who was standins on the footpath. "We swung across the kerb," saidi witnegs. "and as we were rounding the corner, the motor-car came | round behind us, went to pass us on the ! blind side, and jumped right across on to the footpath. The part between the mud-guard and the lamp struck the boy, dragged him.a few yards, and I then saw the wheel so over his head." ; To Mr. Putnam: Witness's car was travelling about fifteen miles per hour. The down tram did. not jjass until after the- accident. "Witness di 3 not know if this latter tram was a special. Evidence also was given by Sydney \ George Trippiear, the motorman on the "down car." who said that leaving Church Hill about 5.39 p.m., he started for town. Two boys were standing at the Mansfield's corner stop. A Karori- | bound car came around the comer and j almost at the same time, a motor-car came up behind it and took a diagonal course towards the footpath. Witness, who was driving about 8 miles per hour, sounded the gong, and applying the emergency brakes, pulled up almost immediately. He had lost eight of the motor, and the next thing he saw was the deceased lyinor on the footpath. The corner was not.a very safe one for a motor-car to try and shoot past a tram. There was considerable cross-examin-ation as to technical details, following which Mr. Putnam asked: "Is the conclusion you would draw from the aclions of the motor-driver, M. Bailey, that he, in trying to avoid a seen danger, ran into an unseen danger?" Witness: "Yes." "Is it not a fact that your tram almost touched the motor in passing?"— "No." "Any motor-car coming from the city would have to drive on the right hand side to see around that corner? —"Yes, but it is the same with a lot of other corners." "Any motor-car, travelling up on the side of an up-going tram is liable to be hit by a down-going tram which has not stopped at the corner?—" Yes." "It would be a distinct help to motorists if that were a- compulsory instead of a request stop?"—" Yes." (Proceeding.)