CYCLIST'S DEATH

Evening Post, Issue 73, 23 September 1936, Page 18

CYCLIST'S DEATH

INQUEST AT LOWER HUTT

An inquest was held at Lower Hutt today before Mr. E. Gilbertson, J.P., Coroner, into the circumstances of the death of Constance Fay Doran, who died as the result of injuries she received when riding a bicycle which collided with a motor-lorry driven by Thomas E. Pelham in Tama Street, Lower Hutt, on September 14. The inquest was conducted by Sergeant J. W. McHolm. Mr. N. T. Gillespie appeared for Mr. Pelham and Mr. Evan Parry for Mr. Doran. Dr. M. A. Birks, of the Wellington Hospital, stated that the deceased died as the result of a fractured skull on the morning of September 16. Albert Doran, father of the deceased, stated that his , daughter was eleven years and three months old, and was in good health. Her eyesight and hearing were good and she was alert and careful. She was riding a lady's small low bicycle. . All the corners in the neighbourhood were dangerous because the streets were narrow. The corner of Montague and Tama Streets was not specially dangerous. Thomas E. Pelham said that at 4.15 p.m. on September 14 he was driving east along Montague Street. He sounded his horn several times before reaching the corner of Tama Street and looked to the right just as he came to the intersection. Just as his lorry was level with the intersection he saw the girl and braked and converged, but could not avoid the girl, who also converged. His bumper struck the bicycle, but the wheel did not go over her. His lorry came to rest with the front wheels against the kerb on the east of Tama Street. He was of the opinion that the girl was travelling at the same speed as the lorry and that he saw her before she saw him. Cross-examined by Mr. Parry, wit> ness said that if the other vehicle had been a motor-car he supposed there would have been an accident, except that he thought he would have seen a motor vehicle earlier. He was of the opinion that the hedge on the corner obstructed his view. Mrs. G. Clarke, residing about 100 feet from the corner in Montague Street, said she saw the lorry pass her window like a flash and then heard the crash. The lorry was travelling at from 15 to 20 m.p.h. Elsie Annear, a young girl, gave evidence of seeing the accident. Constable G. Jones gave evidence of the positions of the vehicles judged by marks on the road. There was a hedge 4ft 2in high which might have obstructed the driver's view. The finding was that the deceased died as the result of severe injuries to the brain sustained by colliding: with a motor-lorry driven by Thomas E. Pelham on September 14. The Coroner expressed the view that the occurrence was purely accidental. On behalf of Mr. Pelham and his employer (Mr. Horlor) Mr. Gillespie expressed his sympathy with the relatives of the deceased.