FORMAL FINDING

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 109, 11 May 1933, Page 12

FORMAL FINDING

ISLAND BAY TRAGEDY

DRIVER'S LACK OF SKILL

CORONER'S COMMENTS

'' The death of these four people was due in my opinion to the driver's lack of skill and experience in the handling of a car," said the Coroner (Mr. K. Gilbertsonj J.P.), when delivering his verdict at the inquest of the foui victims of tho tragic accident which occurred at midnight on April 1, when a motor-car plunged over a 40ft drop at Island Bay. Tho victims were Olga Beryl Bardebes, aged 18, Ernest Joseph Dickson, aged 22, James Henry Wood, aged 34, and his wife, Margaret Gilmour Wood, aged 34. . The Coroner's finding was that the four deceased, when returning from a cabaret at Island Bay on April 1 in a car driven by Frederick Patrick Hooker, were killed as a result of tho car capsizing over a steep bank near Cliff House. CONFLICT OF EVIDENCE. Reviewing the evidence the Coroner said that there was a sharp conflict in the evidence regarding the understanding that had been come to ■as to the driving of the car after it had been diiven to tho top of a fairly abrupt grade on Milne Terrace by Fitzgerald. "It ia clear that when Miss Morris, Miss Bardobes, Diekson, and Mr. and Mrs. Wood arrived with Hooker (tho driver of the car) at the stationary car, they understood that Hooker intended to drive it," stated ' the Coroner. "Hooker got into the driving seat and Dickson inquired whether Hooker Would like him to sit-in the front seat with him and assist with the controls, but Hooker replied that he could manage. The party then got into the car, Miss Morris in tho front seat with Hooker, and the other four in the back seat, and . they waited for some time for Fitzgerald's or Hoare's return. Eventually, before the Teturn of either, the car Snoved off. "There is some conflict in the evidence of the two surviving members as to whether it was started off intentionally or inadvertently. Hooker says that he remembers looking backwards to see whether Fitzgerald or Hoar a was coming, and that he must have started the car by touching the clutch with his foot, but that he did not intend to start it. How the touching of the clntcb with his foot could have any effect on a car the engine of which was, according to him, not running, he does not explain. Hooker's recital of the events ia, moreover, far from clear, and he has little recollection o£ anything that occurred after he got' into the driver's seat at \the top of the road. When seen after the smash his mind seemed clear, and he was quite collected, and; in answer to a question-as to why he had driven ithe car away he replied that he had lech jeered by the others into doing so. I have no hesitation in accepting the account given by Miss < Morris. • She states that she and Miss Bardebes were anxious to get home, and kept urging Hooker to start off. LIMITED DRIVING EXPERIENCE. "I have no doubt that Hooker decided not to wait for MtZgerald's or Hoare's return, and that he'intentionally drove the car away. . . . When it was realised that the car was travelling dangerously, Dickson leaned i; over from the back seat to try to help with the brake, and one of the ladies called to Hooker to be careful, and he replied, 'I can't hold it.': "The driver Hooker is a,young man, 22 years of age. His experience in driving is very limited. He has never driven a car alone without a competent companion beside him. He had accompanied some friends lately on a tour of 1600 miles in the North Island, and he states that during portions of the journey he hod been in charge of the wheel, but not for any considerable spell at any period of the tour. He is not, and never has been,; the holder of a driving licence. During that afternoon he had had some liquor. He states that between 5.30 and 6 p.m. he and Fitzgerald and Dickson had each four drinks together, his own drinks being two whiskies and two shandies. All the parties state that no liquor was taken to the cabaret or partaken of | there, and whon a constable examined Hooker just after tho accident he saw i no signs of liquor on him. AWKWARD TASK FOR SEASONED DRIVER. "In my view to lhandle for the first time at night time on this dangerous road p. car such as this one, with, its 'unusual left hand drive and its uu-' familiar position of the clutch, foot and-hand brakes, accelerator, and other controls, and its indifferent braking would'have proved a; sufficiently awkward task for a seasoned driver. For Hooker, relatively ■ unfamiliar as he was with the handling-of cars, to have undertaken it greatly increased the danger; . ~, ;.'... . "The death.of there four people was, in my opinion, due to the driver's lack of skill and of experience in thov handling of a car."