SPEED FATALITY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 148, 19 December 1929, Page 11

SPEED FATALITY

THE M'KENZIE INQUEST

PILLION HURLED S4 FEET

The. opinion that the deceased's motor-cycle was ridden at a high rate of speed and that there was no evidence tending to throw the blame for the accident on the driver of the motorcar was expressed by the Coroner (Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M.) at the inquest this morning on Colin Ronald M'Kenzie, the well-known racing motor-cyclist, who died in the Hospital on Sunday afternoon as a result of injuries received in a collision at Kilbirnie in the early hours of Sunday morning. The formal finding of the Coroner was that yie deceased died from head injuries deceived in a collision between a motor-cycle ridden by.him-and" a motor-car driven by Frederick-William Edward Deverell.

Sergeant Ponder, of Kilbirnie, conducted the inquiry, and Mr. E. E. Harding appeared for tho driver of the motor-car.

Dr. F. P. Furkert, of the Wellington Hospital staff, said that M'Kenzie was admitted to the Hospital at 4 a.m. on Sunday in an unconscious condition. The symptoms suggested severe brain injury. The deceased did not regain consciousness and died at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The father of the deceased said that his son competed at the Kilbirnie Speedway on Saturday eevning. John Watt, living in Devonshire road, Miramar, said he held a party at his house on Saturday night on behalf of the deceased. A quantity of liquor was purchased, but" no one at the party was under the influenco of liquor. The deceased, who was a very steady young man, left the house about 2 o'clock on Sunday morning to take a young lady to Cuba street on tho back of a motor-cycle. .M'Kenzie was returning to witness's house when the collision occurred, as he intended to spend Sunday with him at Worser Bay. The Coroner: "What exactly do you mean by 'not under, the influence of liquor'?"

The witness: "Well", it was not a drunken party. ' Very little liquor was taken; M'Kenzie had none at all." Stanley E. Sareich, who was also at the party, said he left M'Kenzie in Cuba street. He was then perfectly sober, and set off in the direction of Manners street. EVIDENCE AS TO SPEED. Evidence was given by Frederick Deverell, company organiser, that about 3.15 on Sunday morning he was driving a motor-car along Yule street in a southerly direction. When he reached the intersection of Yule and Coutts streets he slowed down to 15 miles an hour and sounded his horn. Seeing that Coutts street was clear, he proceeded across the intersection. When about half-way, across he noticed a light coming towards him,, but it appeared that he had ample time to make the crossing. He then noticed that the light was from a motor-cycle which was travelling at a terrific speed. He immediately put his foot on the accelerator, but before the car had time to respond it was struck with great force on the right side towards the rear.

Replying to Sergeant Pender, the witness said the motor-cyclist would be about 80 yards away when he first saw him. :

Sergeant Ponder: "From where you saw the" light approaching, did you think there was any necessity to stop?" Witness: "No; it was too far away." To tho Coroner, witness said he was returning from Akiitarawa,' and had with him his wife and sister-in-law. The part of his car struck by the motorcycle was over the middle of Coutts street at the time of the impact. Mr.. Harding: "How. far would the cyclist have had to swerve to avoid you?"—" About. 4if.t.'to.the left."

NO SIGNS OF LIQUOR.

Evidence was given by Douglas Algar of having been awakened by a loud crash just outside his residence. He assisted iii taking measurements. In his opinion the deceased's head went through one of the car windows. He did not detect any signs of liquor on either Deverell or the deceased.

Constable R.. Anderson, of Lyall Bay, said that the pillion seat of the motorcycle was found 84ft from the point of impact. The right-hand side of the car was stove in.. In his opinion the motorcyclist must have been travelling at a very fast rate of speed. The Coroner said tho evidence satisfied him that the motor-cycle was ridden at a high rate of speed. There was the evidence of the witnesses on that point, and the facts spoke for themselves. The deceased .was on his wrong side of the road, and had only to swerve 4£ft to avoid the car. Then there was the silent testimony of the pillion seat 84ft down the road, having been thrown either over the top of the car or round it. The car was also badly damaged. He was satisfied from the evidence that the parties were quite sober, and he found no evidence tending to throw the blame for the happening on the driver of the car.

BOWING

WELLINGTON REGATTA

. The Wellington Regatta Club executive met this week, when the tentative date of 15th February was fixed for tho Wellington Regatta." The following programme was drawn up:— 12.15 p.m., Junior Double Sculls; 12.30 p.m., Senior Singles; 1 p.m., Maiden Fours; 1.30 p.m., Junior Pairs; 2 p.m., Youths' Fours; 2.30 p.m., Maiden Pairs; 3 p.m., Senior Fours; 3.30 p.m., Lightweight Maiden Fours; 4 p.m., Maiden Double Sculls; 4.30 p.m., Junior Fours; 5 p.m., Senior Pairs; 5.30 p.m., Junior Singles.