STOKER'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume cxxiv, Issue 148, 20 December 1937, Page 13

STOKER'S DEATH

MIRAMAR ACCIDENT

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

A verdict that the deceased died as a result of injuries received through colliding with a motor-car driven by Horace Baden Ginger was returned by the Coroner (Mr.! E. Gilbertson, ' J.P.) at the inquest today into the ; death of Samuel Thompson, a stoker, aged 38, who died after an accident which occurred on Aberdeen Quay, Miramar, on the evening of November 17.-Sub-Inspector J. A. Dempscy conducted the inquest. Mr. J. D. Willis appeared for the relatives of the deceased, and Mr. O. C| Mazengarb for Ginger. A deposition was taken from Walter Henry White, a City Council bus driver, who witnessed the accident. "At about 7.40 D.m. on November 17 I was driving my car in a southerly direction along Aberdeen Quay at approximately 25 m.p.h.," said Mr. White. "I was on the correct side of the roadway. When about half-way alopg the sea-wall I observed a car approaching me, in the vicinity of 200 yards distant. My attention., was drawn to this vehicle by the excessive speed it was travelling at, and the erratic course it was pursuing. I estimate that the speed was not under 45 m.p.h. It was definitely skidding from one side of the roadway to .the other, and appeared to be completely out of control. It just missed a stationary car which was parked on the western side of the road, close to the kerb; it continued on to the left in one "long sweep, and mounted the footpath; that is, the front and rear left wheels. It 'travelled along the footpath for what appeared to me to be a fairly short, distance, and then the left side of the vehicle came in contact with the deceased, who was walking along the western footpath, near, the edge. I distinctly heard the sound of the impact. I had observed the deceased walking north just prior to being struck. It appeared to me as though the deceased was thrown bodily forward. . "The car then continued along the footpath for quite a distance, then swung right across the road, very nearly striking my car, which was well. on the correct side of the roadway." I accelerated and swung hard into the eastern side of the road, the left portion of my car brushing the kerb. The car still continued up the road, zigzagging." The car then mounted the eastern footpath, and came to a standstill facing east, said witness. Witness said that. he : was standing near the driver of the car, and heard him say to another man, "I did not see the man, I was only travelling at 30 m.p.h., and skidded." . ON CORRECT SIDE. Questioned by Mr. Gilbertson, witness said that Ginger was on his'correct side of the road when he actually' knocked the man down. In answer to a question from Mr.' Willis, he said it was about 200 yards past the scene of the accident when the car pulled up. The road had been wet, but was drying. ' A police constable, in evidence, said that the tyres of Ginger's car had very little, tread on them. Philip Wallis Vautier, a surveyor, produced a plan of the locality of. the accident, on which measurements relative to the course of the vehicle involved were compiled from information supplied by Constable Urquhart.,

"I feel bound to say," said Mr. Mazen•garb, "that there will be quite a considerable body of evidence which will' negative the evidence given by the witness White, who was obviously exaggerating the zig-zagging, speed, and distances.

"You need not make an address now, Mr. Mazengarb," said Mr. Gilbertson, "it does not concern me." The Coroner then returned a verdict as given, above.