MOTOR FATALITY

Evening Star, Issue 16909, 5 December 1918, Page 4

MOTOR FATALITY

INQUEST ON LLOYD.

CORONER FINDS WANT OF OARE.

Mr Young, S.M.> held an inquiry this morning concerning the death of Thomas Nicholas Lloyd, who was down by a motor car on the evening of November 28, and died on tho 30th in Dunedin Hospital. Deceased wa3 an iron turner employed at tho Hillside Workshops. He was 6*B years of age, and lived in Wesley street, South Dunedin. Senior-sergeant Murray represented the police, Mr Hanlon appeared for Ellis M. Peacock (the driver of the motor), and Mr Hay for the relative's of tho deceased. Dr Connor, house surgeon at the Hospital, said that deceased was admitted at 9 p.m. on the 28th. He was semi-con-scious, and suffering from a fracture of tho skull. On the 29th ho was operated on by Br Barnett. An extensive fra-cturo was discovered, and tho depressed piece of bono removed. Tho patient died at 3.50 p.m. on the 30th, without regaining consciousness. Tho cause of death was laceration of and hemorrhage into tho brain.

Lily Lloyd, widow of deceased, said that deceased left homo at 6.15 p.m. on the 28th, intending to go to tho railway station to get tickets for Purakauui. His eyesight and hearing were _ very good. Richard Michael Morris said that ho was in the car driven by Peacock, and seated in front, on Peacock's lefj. It was raining very hard. Near the junction of Princes street and Maitland street he saw a man about 10 yards in front of the car, crossing from Maitland street towards tho Oval. This man was directly in front of tho car, but towards the left. Tho driver tooted with his horn, and tho man lifted his umbrella, and stepped back into a position in front of the car. Tho driver attempted to swing his car to the right, and applied his brakes. The car did not swing clear of the man. The left mudguard or lamp struck him and knocked him clear of the car on tho left side. Witness assisted to carry him into an adjoining house. Senior Sergeant: Ha was 10 yards away when you saw him first, and you were travelling at from 10 to 12 miles an hour. Was there anything to prevent tho driver —any traffic to prevent him —going round the side of the man? Witness : There was no traffic

To Mr Hay : The man was crossing on an angle, facing somewhat towards tho car. His umbrella was between and the car. When the horn went he lifted tho umbrella, and stepped or staggered back. Witness considered tho man went back at least- two paces. Mr Hay : And what was tho motor doing all this time? Ho had 10 yards to miss him in. Why didn't he miss him?

Witness : I don't know. Ho swung towards the right, and applied his brakes quickly. Mr 'Hay s There was 70 feet of welllighted street there. How was it that this car did not go right out in tho street and miss him?

Witness : I wasn't driving it!_ Don't you think it was travelling much more than 12 miles an hour?—No; it was not.

To Mr Hanlon : The Tain was driving right into the car. When the man stepped back the driver swung the car immediately. Witness joukl not swear tho man was 10 yards away when first sighted. Tho driver was absolutely sober, and so was witness.

Richard H. Smith, a returned soldier, who was in the back seat, said the car was travelling at about 12 mile 3 an_ hour, a7id it was a'very rough night. Being in tho back, ho did not see tho track, but he heard the horn blow, and immediately the car pulled up suddenly. As the horn went Morris called "Look out!" When the car stopped the front wheels _ were turned outwards, but it seemed as if the brakes had been applied, and tho_ car stopped before the turn had taken effect. Tho Senior-Sergeant called next the driver, Peacock. Mr Hanlon said he did pot think this was a proper thing to do in the circumstances. They had cot tho evklenco of eye-witnesses, and, as a suggestion was being mode that Peacock did not act_with prudence or something of that kind, it was not right, nor was it the practice, to call him. The Coroner said that tho man who could give the best evidence was tho driver. Ho could, of courso, plead privilege. In any case, he would want expert evidence of some kind. Mr Hanlon said it was not that the drirer was afraid of incriminating himself, but it was just a question whether it was a proper thing to put him on his oath Co try to incriminate him. Tho police already had his statement. Semor-sorfzeant Murray said he called tho driver because ho was obviously tho most material witness as to how the accident occurred.

The Coroner decided to adjourn for 40 minutes, to have tho car taken over tho scene by an expert and a trial made. On resumption, Roy Livingstone Stodman, motor expert, stated that ho had tested Peacock's Bui ok 6, of which tho brakes were in fairly good order. Driving at 12 miles an hour over the spot indicated, he had piled the car up in 17ft. He made a further tost with a man crossing the .street diagonally to the Oval. Ho applied the brakes 10yds from tho man and turned to tho right, pulling up in lift 6in. Assuming the car had not stopped ho would havo cleared tho_ man on the new course taken by about Bft. To Mr Hay: Ho used only tho foot brake for both stops. He would use both brakes in an emergency. To Mr Hanlon : Tho power had to be shut off with tho hand that would apply the hand brake afterwards. Thoro would therefore be a delay of two or three seconds before the second brake was applied. The Coroner found that deceased died at Dunetlin on November 30 as the result of injuries received on November 28 through being knocked down by a car driven by Peacock. He added that there was evideno of want of caro and skill on tho part of Peacock, and the matter was one for the consideration cA the police. It was not necessary or advisable for him as coroner to say anything further.