FATAL COLLISION

Evening Star, Issue 20315, 25 October 1929, Page 12

FATAL COLLISION

PILLION RIDER’S DEATH INQUEST ON VICTIM As th© result of a collision between a motor car and a motor cycle, which occurred on the night of October 10, at a corner of King street and .St. David street, Drnest Paul Ayers a widower and labourer, aged thirty-four years, who resided at 52 King Edward street, was fatally injured. An inquest was held this morning before Mr H. W. Bundle. S.M. Sub-inspector Cummings conducted the inquiry for the police. Mr Hanlon appeared for William Tilbury 'driver of carl, Mr H. E. Barrowclough for Robert Charles King /driver of the motor cycle), and Mr .1. B. Thomson for the relatives of the deceased.

Robert Charles Kin jar, labourer, residing ■at Kelvin roar], North-easi Valley, said he had no driver’s license, but had been driving for about twelve months. On the night of tho accident, he was riding a New Hudson with foot rests for pillion riding. On this night (October 10) bo was travelling foi;;h along iwng street, which had a fairly good surra■■e. He had tiniest Paul \yer« on tho hock of his cycle He was averaging from twenty to twenty-five miles an hour, and was on his correct side of the road. Coming along King street he saw a car travelling north When he was passing tho intersection at St. David street the car swerved over m front of him, and to avoid a collision he (witness) swerved to the right. His front wheel hit the ear somewhere on a mudguard. Ho did not know what happened esaeth to Ayers, but ho himself was thrown and slightly injured. Afterwards he saw deceased lying on the road. The car did not lake a proper turn, for it cm tho corner on Mm. Neither witness nor deceased had hnd any liquor, and when he saw the driver, Tilbury, afterward? he appeared to he all rigiit in this respect. The car's speed would be about the same as bis own. To Mr Hanlon Then; was nothing wrong with the cycle. He would stick to his own speed estimate, even if somebody said he was doing thirty to thirty.five milc„ per hour. Mr Hanlon: Did you net think it was your duty to ease up at the intersection? —] had a clear view and did not think it was necessary. Witness added that he swerved because lie thought it was the best way to avoid the. car, the car then being nine or ten feet away. Tho car seemed to he going to tho very corner of tho fish shop verandah. When witness saw the car first begin to turn ho was just over the intersection at tho fish shop corner. To Air Harrow dough: He had been very much upset ever since the accident. He thought ho had a bet ter chance by going round the car instead of going straight on. That was why he swerved. John Abbott, residing at the corner of King street and St. David street, opposite the fish shop, said that he heard a crash at II o’clock on this night. He went out and saw the position of (he car and cycle nn the road. To Mr Hanlon; He should say there was room for a vehicle, to pass between the car and the fish shop. His evidence regarding the position of the car was nc quite the same as that of the notice. Frederick John Garner, who also resided in the vicinity of tho accident, said that hs arrived on the scene at about the samo time as the constable. Ho also gave evidence regarding tho positions. Constable said that at 10.50 ho was on duty in King street. The motor cycle passed him in King street, about 400yds north of the intersection, whore the collision occurred. lie estimated its speed at between thirty and thirty-live miles per hour. In consequence of hearing a noise, he hurried to the intersection, and on arrival there ho saw Ayers lying on the road bleeding from the iicad. The injured man was lying between the car and tho fish shop. He examined the ear and the cycle, and found the marks of the two visible. The motor cycle’s marks were on the correct side of the road. Tilbury’s marks showed he was turning into Si. David street going east. Tho car had cut the corner. All the parties were sober. Witless read a statement made to him bv Tilbury, who had admitted that, ho had cut the cower a little. He said he thought he had nmole time to turn. Stating that ho did not wish to make any complaints, Mr Barrowclougb said ho ‘bought, in view of some discrepancies in l hc evidence regarding positions, that the. constable should have taken measurements at once. He should have also taken statements from the bystanders. Sub-inspector Cummings: Tie constable had to attend first of all to the unfortunate man on tho ground. (Proceeding.)