YOUNG MAN KILLED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 25, 30 January 1930, Page 11

YOUNG MAN KILLED

EUN DOWN BY MOTOE-

CAR

UNSUCCESSFUL INQUIRIES

Although detectives have made exhaustive iuquirieß, no information regarding the motor-car which ran down and killed Charles Bell, a labourer, aged 19, while he was cycling along the Ilutt road near the Hutt Valley Power Board's premises on the night of 28th November last, has been obtained. This was disclosed at the inquest, which was opened before the Coroner (Mr. E. Page, S.M.) to-day.

Mr. J. Mercer said that Bell was admitted to the Hospital at 9.15 p.m. on 28th November suffering from a fracture of both jaws and a fracture o£ the base of the skull. Ho died without recovering consciousness an' hour later. The severe injuries iudicated that he had received a terrific blow full in the face. They might have been caused by his being thrown violently to the ground. A young woman, Joyce Willis, gave evidence that she met the deceased by appointment, and accompanied him on his bicqele towards Lower Hutt. She was carrying a lamp. They were on the edge of the bitumen on the lefthand side. The street lights were very faint owing to a fault in the lighting system. Nearing the Power Board's office witness heard a car approaching from Petone. It had good lights, and from the noise it was making it was travelling very fast. Witness could remember being struck and dragged with the car. When she recovered her senses, the car's lights were receding in the distance. She did not see it stop. It was a light-coloured car, a two or three seater.

John Bertram Grey, engineer to the Power Board, said that at 8.35 p.m. on 28th November he was standing outside the office, when he saw the lights of a car coming from Petone, and also a light which might have been a man lighting a cigarette while riding a bicycle. He then heard an impact about three and a half chains away from him. The car came on and pulled up near him, and an elderly lady got out backwards. She appeared to be either infirm or under the influence of liquor. Then a voice, apparently belonging to a younger woman who was inside the car, evidently at the wheel, said:. "My God, I think I've killed a man." The elderly woman put her head back into the car, and there was a muttered conversation, after which the elderly lady got into the car again. The car was a two or three seater. Witness took the number, and thought it was 99-151. He went to the injured man, and after seeing that he was badly hurt called a doctor and the police. When he went back to the telephone the car had gone on.

Questioned by the Coroner, witness said that he did not recognise the elderly lady. He did not form any impression as to her identity. Herbert Willis, a plumber, of Lower Hutt, said that he was the owner of a dejivery van with the number 99-151. On the" night of 28th November it had been locked up in his garage since 5.30.

Chief-Detective Lopdell, who conducted the inquest,, said that the van had been examined soon after the accident. It was quite apparent that it had not been used that evening.

Detective P. Kearney gave evidence of having made exhaustive inquiries in company with Detective F. Hayhurst in an effort to trace the motor-car, but without success.

The Coroner adjourned the inquest until Saturday morning, remarking that lie would look through the police files to sec whether the/o was any direction in which the inquiry should be pursued further.