GORGE FATALITY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 7

GORGE FATALITY

INQUEST RESUMED

EVIDENCE ABOUT DRIVING GEAR

The inquest arising out of the Ngahauranga Gorge fatality <m Sunday 13th April, when Norman Webb Cook and his wife, "Violet Amelia Cook, of Johnsonville, were killed as the result of a motor collision, was advanced another stage yesterday afternoon, As on the previous days of the inquest, the witnesses were cross-examined at length and it was found necessary to make a further adjournment.

Mr. T. B. M'Neil, S.M., was the Coroner. Sub-Inspector Lopdell conducted the inquest on. behalf of the police; Mr. H. H. Cornish, with him Mr. N. A. 3?oden, represented Alfred E. Storey, driver of the motor-car which collided with that occupied by tho deceased; and Mr. J. C. Peacock appeared for the relatives of the deceased.

George Kidyard, a motor mechanic, who commenced his evidence on Tuesday, resumed bis sta,nd in the witnessbox. To Mr. Cornish he said that he would not have driven Cook's ear if he had known that the pins in the driving gear were loose. He could not swear that the pins were looso before the accident. After lie took the pins out he discovered there was a little wear m them which made them loose ia the bushings at one end. Tho pins had not been riveted over properly. The brake on the right-hand wheel was tighter than on the left, which would have a tendency to twist the car towards the right. The brakes wore not faulty, and they would pass a test.

Constable Strawbridge said that after the impact Cook's car had travelled 56ft on the right-hand lock before | going over the bank and was evidently going slowly when it wenfc over tho edge. The car fell just over 14ft and turned over once. There was nothing to show that tho brakes had been applied on either car before the impact, but Storey's car had skidded Bft on the left-hand rear wheel and sft 9in on tho right-hand reat- wheel. There was nothing to indicate that Cook had applied the brakes of his car after the impact. There was a width of 28fb Gin of good road surface at the point of the impact. To Mr. Peacock, the constable said that it was possible that Cook had applied his brakes even though there were no marks.

The inquest was then adjourned till Monday afternoon,