BAD LIGHTING

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 141, 17 June 1931, Page 13

BAD LIGHTING

JERVOIS QUAY AREA

MAN KILLED BY CAR

COEONEII'S COMMENT

"The lighting in the vicinity of the | wharf sueds in Jcrvois quay is very bad; in fact, I think it is so bad that it is my duty to draw the attention of " the City authorities to the necessity of providing better lights in that vicinity, '' said tho Coroner, ■ Mr. T. B. M'Neil, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day at the conclusion of an inquest regarding the death of Mylos Valentine, , a tunnel worker, aged 37, who was knocked dpwniu Jervois quay on Iriday •night by a car driven by Francis Gregory Galvin. Tho Coroner, who returned a formal finding that the de- , ceased-had died as the result of injuries j received when he was knocked clown by tho car, discounted any suggestion that Galvin was under the influence of liquor or was driving' at an ■ excessive speed at the time of the accident. Tlie only inclependant witness or tho_ , accident, -Joseph J. Martin, said ; ho was walking along Jcrvois,quay in a northerly direction when his attention was drawn to a car-travelling towards him at a speed which'he'estimated at between 50 and 60 miles per hour. AVhcn the car was about opposite witness he heard a. crash, and when he went across to see what was the matter :he saw a body lying- near the car. Tho car. pulled up some distance past the body, and the driver got out and ran back. Witness thought the driver had been drinking. The. visibility at the scene of the accident was very bad.. : . ■ , A BOTTLE OF WHISKY. Cross-examined by Mr. C. J. O'Kegan, who appeared for the relatives of the deceased, witness said that bis reason for coming to the conclusion that the driver was under the influence, or liquor was that "lie was excited and utterly "callous of the accident." ■ Mr O'Kegan: "Was there any other sign of drink?"—" Yes, there was a broken bottle of whisky lying on the road. It had been unopened, for the cork was Stilf in the broken nock of the bottle. '•Whereabouts was the whisky bottle in relation to the car and the body.' — "Oh, somewhere near the body. I could not say exactly." ■ "Would it be between the body and the wharf.?"—"l could not say. ;) It was about two yards from the body. Senior-Sergeant Edwards, to the Coroner: "The Tost of tlio broken bottle^was discovered in the deceased's pocket." \ Mr H. F. O'Leary, who appeared for Galvin: "You say the driver of the car seemed utterly callous V'—"H.e gave- me that .impression." -....'. •_. . "Did you actually smell liquor on him?"—" There was * ' stron.S smell °* whisky through the bottle being broken. . A QUESTION OF SPEED. "What did the driver say in reference to his speed?"—"l heard him tell the police he was travelling at 20 miles per' "How soon' after the occurrence do you think a policeman arrived on the scene?"—" About five minutes." "The police would have had the opportunity of. seeiijg and speaking to the driver then?"—" Yes." _ "You estimated the speed at which the" car was travelling at between 50 and 60 miles per hour?"—" Yes." "Do you ever see cars doing 50 or 60 miles per hour along there?"—"Oh, yes, most of the cars go" that pace. ; Galvin was doing the speed that the cars usually. do in Jervois quay." ! ' DRIVER'S EVIDENCE. , , Francis Gregory Galviu, general manager of Rubber Distributors, Ltd., said he was detained until after 6 p.m. on the night in question talking ' business;- After r he -had-, finished.:, he went in his car, up Jorvpis quay past ■the wharf gates. Ho was travelling about 22 miles per hour when he noticed on his right a man opposite E. W. Mills and Co.'s building. A little further on he noticed a .dark object come staggering out from under cover at the extreme north end of the wharf shed. When witness sounded his horn ' . the man /pulled'; up momentarily, but staggered forward again. Witness turnea his car first to the left, and. then "to the right in order to avoid him, but the deceased staggered again and Ktiuek the side :of the car. Witness did. not attempt; to brake the-ear, as it might; have skidded. . . .. : '.' Senior-Sergeant Edwards: "How many drinks did you have that evening?"—"l had two whiskies at Paekakariki at 3.30 p.m." '; - '■" ■ "Did you have any in towji? —. . "No." ■. '- ■: ■■'. ■ ■-■■■' '■■ ' ' Mr. O'Began: "How long have you been driving a car?"—" About fifteen years." -. ' "You consider that if you were-trav-elling at -22 miles per hour there was a possibility that you would have sluded?"—:'■'■.Yes, with my brakes." CAPABLE OF DRIVING. Constable M'Eae said that when he arrived on tho scene of the accident the car was on its correct side of the road. The driver of the car was there, but the deceased had been taken to Hospital. Galvin pointed out whore ' the accident had occurred, and assisted in the taking of measurements. Galvin then accompanied witness to the police station, where he made a statement. He smelt strongly of liquor, ■ although in witness's opinion he was quite capable of driving a motor-car. ■■-• Cross-examined by Mr. O'Leary, wit- ' ness said that it was possible the deceased had' come out of a gate some distance away, and had continued along on that side of the road. Witness said Jie looked for skid, marks or marks of braking, but could not'find any... Mr.; O 'Leary: " The visibility along near those sheds is not good, because of shadows?"—"No, it is very poor." "I understand you . drove with the accused in'his' car to the police station?" —"Yes." . • "And if you had noticed anything wrong with his driving you would have taken other action?" —"Yes." • Dr. I. J. Logan, a house surgeon at Wellington Hospital, said that in his . opinion death was due to shock, and probably internal haemorrhage. CORONER'S COMMENT. ■ "I am satisfied from *;he evidence - that the driver of the ear was in a fit (-condition to drive," said Mr. M'Neil. "It is true that ho had had a couple of whiskies about 4 o'clock, but .the accident occurred somewhat after 6. "It is my opinion that the evidence ■ of Mr. Martin as to tho speed at which the car was travelling should be received with a great deal of caution owing to the very last sentence of his evidence, in which he stated that it was a very common practice for motorists to drive along there at between 50 and 60 miles per hour. Although some motorists might do that, I can't accept ■it that it is a very common prae■v tice."