SANDON MOTOR FATALITY.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 4019, 8 June 1920, Page 6

SANDON MOTOR FATALITY.

ON VICTIMS

The adjourned inquest regarding the death's of Arthur E. Eglinton, Alfred and Frank Kidman, which fdllowect a collision on the Sandon rdad' on'-'-May 20th last between cars di'iven by the former deceased and Warren• Newth was held before Mr E. Goodbehere, coroner, Feikling, at the* Courthouse, Palmerston North, yesterday. Mr H!.Gilford*Moore watched the caseion behalf of the Taxi Proprietors' and MF John Graham appeared for: the relatives of the late ■'A. E.' 5 Eglinton. ' '' . v ". Metlical evidence 'by Drs. Putmali, Barnett; and Wateon.COURTLEY EGLINTON'S STATE.'v ~ .:;.[■ t ment;/..; v Co'iirtiey Ernest' James Eglinton, aged 15'years,'and' son of the deceasedyuAt E.iEglmtoni said 1 that on Majy. 20th ,he had conic to,Palmerston N., with his fathery ; ft*h6- wai driving. Mi' and iMrs A'Gourt and Penny were* also in, the ca*. : ; They left Palmerston N. on their.return to Sandon about 5v30. Mrs ' A'Couxt also occupied >the front seat, while in the back seat; Were Mr A'Court on the left, Mr Penny in-; the centre, and witness on the iight. ',-Witness saw the lights burnitigonthe car when it left Palmerstoii N. -They pulled up at witfa,ther's gate to allow witness to get 'out. i The .car then proceeded on with the rest,;Of the party towards j Witness, on turning iuun<f after tlie had left him, noticed that the rear light was still jamming, witness'wad opening the gate when he heard/thd eniash. Just prior to that he did other lights in thej distanoe.;JHte;ura"niedfately went to the scene, r was a,bout 17 chains awa** frbm the gate. His father's car travelled on the. left hand side of the , road after .le.aying the gate, whicfi. was on the right hand side. Ho found tha,t his •■father's' car. was pointing north,..with tlve • front wheels on the grown ,of the ro-\d, and the .rear, .wheels on the; gxrss. ;. The other car . (Newfch's) was n few yards, away on \ : the Palmerstpn, North side, and was ;.: pointing .south. Jtß front wheels were • ; on the lef.t, hand side, of the Toad, on the grass pointing towards, Sandon. Witness' fnther was, lying in the cor- ; h ncr of the front seat, and witness felt i'hi-+.heart,rbutf/cpuld feel no motion. : Mr: Penny :\vas. lying on ; the road by, the back wheel. His father waa'a, cap- . .able driver; aild had. no previius accidents during his four years of driving.: .:■[••■'■ r;',j •■ .: '■,■'•' '; .''..;..■. >■■ / To Mr 1 Graliam: Witness measured 'ho distance from his father's to the scene ' of.? the' 'accident,. and : also. from.:;Lawren'ce'sl.:raad gate) h to ,the scene. The latter distance Was aboilti 13 J chains. He really. """alighted at Lawrence's road and,walk-' ed back to the'-gate. "He later 1 foiiii'd' rut that the battery boxes on both ; ' f ,: H - s were smashed.-. There wasino one .. there; except'-tke:.:c<:cupants of the cars.

It was about three or four minutesrber ; fore an j other [ car came on thef scene. Sei-gt. "Fi'tzp'a'tf lck": any ideti'as to the' liv(i& P( —When'l got myj father'© watch next morning it had Stopped at- 18i mig!-: ''• tues-past ; six. -\-i* ■ <r- w ..- /■'.,. : ?. }'' ■■■ : '.' ' To Mr Moore: He xnow why his father drove on to. "Lawrence's road before 'he stopped to let witness out. s : ; : ;s »1 To .the dbrorieir: : * Witntess did. n,6t examine the battery boxes, but merely noticed that'they wfere torn ajway. MHSA'COURT'S EVIDENCE:- '

Ella Kathleen ~A'Court, Sandon/ said they left Palmerstqn N., in Eglinton's car at dusk, and the' lights in the car were lit. The car pulled 'up at Eglinton's house for.the 'purpose ,of letting the boy out', and then proceeded to take the remainder of the party to their homes. On leaving the jrate Mr Eglinton immediately crossed to tlio left «ide of the road. The lights were fctill burning. On reaching a bend in the road soine.l7 chains" \ from the house,-witne.ss_6a,w the- lights of another car approaching'them from Sandon," and it immediately btruck Mr Eglinton's car. Ap that point Mr Eglinton's car Was on the left side of the road." She could not Ray the exact position of the other car. ■ "Witness was quite certain Mr Eglinton's rar was'lighted at,the timfe of the collision. If "other witnesses swore the car was not lighted witness would still adhere to her statement. ' Prior , to reaching the bend she did not remember seeing lights approaching. The bond in the road should not have very much effect in obscuring the lights of Newtli's car, as they should have bpen able to see the glare. Witness did not 'know the rate of speed nt which Eglinton was travelling, but it was not fast.' She could not say the speed of\jßfewth's car. To the Op*WeyKa I think Mr Eglinton did" dilh his lights. Wgtp ,'the , lisshtK" on tTie other car dimmedP—l >bould 'say not; they wore very 'bright. MR A'OOURT's' ACCOUNT. Hammond Todrick A'Court, husband ol previous witness, corroborated her statements - regarding the trip'from I l'almerston North. Prior to reaching | thfa gate, Islington crossed over to the right hand side of the road, where 'tho house was. After his eon alighted Mr Eglington, on restarting, immediately went back to the left hand side ' of the road. The lights were etill going.' Just before the. accident happened witness ,and Mr Penny had thoii- heads urifler the rug and. did not see tk%" 'other car. He had been stunned_ifcr awhile. Eglington's car, after tlepcident, was standing diag- * onally aßcss the road, and pointing " more'in we direction of Sandon. The other car was 20 feet behind and facing the opposite direction. :• ;■■■:■: To Mr Graham: It wae just a little before 5.45 when they left town. He remembered the time because Egling+on came to the Imperial and called he and Penny. They were absolutely sober.

WHAT NEWTH REMEMBERS. Warren Newth deposed that he was bringing a load of passengers home from the Wanganui races. Ho left the course on the return journey just after the last race, between 15 and 10 minutes to five. Faircloth and \KerifHo , were • in. the front seat with him, and Powell, Kidman and McConkey, in tho back. ,He pulled up at the Tiiraliina Hotel at the request of one pi , , twp' of- the passengers. These were in, the hotel about; seven or eighfc minutes; and after waiting three or four minutes outside witness went in and told them to "hurry Up." Kidman "YoilVe'iri this," and witness thereupon had only half a glass of whisky and water. Thoy were all absolutely sober. It was about 5.30 they left Turakina. There was' some conversation going on while passing through Sanson township. This

was carried on between, the passen- , gers jh the front and back seats. Witiies sreinembered no more until he woko up in Killick's cur* He did not see the other car or its lights, and did not feel any impact. As iar as he remembered the.road was perfectly clear. He had electric lights on his car. In the ordinary course of events* he would have seen anything there was approaching. The only way ho could account for not seeing Eglincoii's car was that the latter could jot have had any lights burning. There was no curtain on witness's bide. The average speed from Turaluna to the scene of the accident was between 25 and 27 miles an hour. One hour and" 25 minutes from Wanganui to the scene of the accident was a fair time. 'To tho Coroner: Witness had only half a drink at Turakinai It was about 34 to 35 miles from the course to Sandon. If these times are correct you would be travelling at about 24 miles an hour?— Perhaps about 25 to 27 miles. This road would be a good one if ! you wanted to get on extra pace; you could travel fast there ?—I did not. [The average was about the same all through, but cars could get a move on there if they wanted to. You don't think you _ were any I faster? ' ' —No, not more than 27 miles. You did not put on your brakes or pul loff the road before the impact? 1 did not see Mr Eglington's car, and as far as I know I did not pull off the roacl or put the brakes on. Mr Graham: The bend in question is not a"ehar'p one ?—No. The line-of .vision would bo a good way roUnd the bend?— Yes, it would be. possible to see a little way round. 'It is not like a sharp bend, where you could come on anybody and suddenly surprise them.— No, it is neither eharp'ribr dangerous. Eglington's car was painted cream? don't know. How do you account for the fact that— Eglington'e lights out of it—that'your lights did not show up this white car ?—Because it would not be in a line with my lights. If you\got - the car in a line of your lights, and say about 30 or 40 yards distant in front of you, could you pull up if you were going about 26 or 27 miles an hour?-r-Yes. It you were going at 40 miles an hour could you pull up in that distance?—Wβ don't usually bother pulling up; we swerve ; but it depends entirely on.'i'ijhe circumstances. : •"•', At thirty yards could you not pull ifp?-—lt all depends on the brakes., Witness remembered Sandon and hearing a conversation between* the passengers. Some wanted td stop at Sandon Hotel for tea, saying they might pick-up a tip for theraces, but as McConkey Svanted to get home they went on. No conversation was going oii from'the :thne they, left Sandon to. the time;of,the r accident. . " : " . .. '. There : is 'no . cloubt from" the '■ evidence' that Eglihton's car was well lighted? ,—No; I never miss a-light. -It is-.inv-possible" to "miss a light if you are "watching; for ' it.

Willyou swear wou were on the left hand side of the road all the way from SandonP—Yes;, but sometimes in the. Centre. "lz depended upon the nature of the road." '' ■' . ,; Would lyou slacken speed to take a, corner'?— One might just twist his foot on the.accelerator to make a. mile 01; two,.less, speed round the corner. •\ I)id:vyou f, dp, so; on.this 'occasion?—-, Couldn't say; we do these things automatically, and don't remember them. to you, EglintoM ' must ' have ''been on his wrong side of the or'crossing: from his wrong to his right. , Af, 7 miles.an.hour witness considered a cai"Vould iiot swing out on to its wrong'side' when taking a corner, but #t 46 'miles' 'an hour there was a tendency for : it to do bo. ' Coroner:- "Supposing Mr Eglinton had 'dimmed • his lights, even then you should have seen the car? —Yes. f.' Coroner: How can you account for 'the car. or the lights P-r-The only "way.", I'can Recount for it is : because the lights ..were not there. If he had lights'we might have got a. glimpse of them if he travelled on the outer" side of thVbend, but not if he was on : the inner side.' The collision Was on the,'apdx of thebend. <-■ Oofdner':}lt\seems to me almost impossible that with such a clear piece of- road that 'you could not collide ■ with -another^;car without .even seeing it. • There must. be some' explanation for it. '" : Witness: The only thing is he must have come along close into the , bend. Is it impossible'that your attention was "distracted at iShe time?— "No, I don't thinjc so. " s . . ! To' Mr ■Graham: Witness had oniy four : drinks during the whole day. TAXI PASSENGERS' EVIDENCE. Frederick; John Rendle, ist, North, one of Newth's ■passengers] , said they left the course about , 2O' : miiilitee to- five. -Passing I the". Wariganui Post Office the * time j was 4.46. Witness occupied thetfrono, seat with the driver. They; Stopped ,; at;the''Tura]nna Hotel, but !he did noc. tlimk Newth, Powell or left the cari ' He remembered nothing' of,'the accident bey olid having a slight "recollectioh of hearing a' crash. Witness saw no x;ar or ligMs approaching. The crash had swung Newth's car ;round tp the right, with the , back wheels nearly iii the centre' of the road. Witness had not npticed Eglinton's car 'at' all. The accident occur- ' red something between'6.ls and 6.30 ' p.m. ' Ncwth was travelling at -about f 28 miles an hour. i

To Mr Graham: He was no judge of speed and, therefore, could only make a guess; Newth, liad not told him since as to the pace. Hβ had ■had , no conversation regarding. this matter withiNewth. They stayed in the hotel- somewhere about five minutes. Witness did not see Newth have a drink, Newth could not have had a drink unless ho had one before coming to'hurry them up. Witness had one "drink in the hotel. He only had two, oh the course and one at the Rutland. After leaving Sandon ' Newth >was. on, tho left-hand side of tlio road and ho particularly noticed this being so just before the crash. After this, he remembered McConkey calling for help, and Newth asked if it were witness who was calling. Mr, Graham pointed out that Nowt'li had 1 said < in' his evidence that he was unconscious, therefore Rendle was wrong. . : Basil Reginald Faircloth, motor mechanic, Palmerston North, said it was 19 minutes, to five wnen they passod tliß Wangdnui Post Office. They were in the Turakina Hotel-for about five minutes. * He never saw Eglinton's cat- approaching. Newth was travelling at from 25 to 30 miles an hour. AH were sober. Coftmer: Can you account for the fact that an experienced driver could not see the car?—l am positively sure there were no lights on Eglinton's car.

Coroner: Even if there were no lights you would have seen the light coloured car with the lights of your car?— Yes; but that is what I can't understand. Even if he had been oi his right side of the road, we should have picked him up with our lights, which were good ones. ' To Mr Graham: Eglinton's car had iio lights, and must have been on the wrong side of the road.John Powell, proprietor of the ißailway Buffet, said he was a passenger in "Newth's car. At Turakina only Faircloth and llendle had a drink. Kidman, to his knowledge, did not go into the hotel to have a drink. Witness did not see any car or lights approaching. The side curtains weve being used. To Mr Graham: Witness felt 6ure Mr Newth must have turned to tine right in orderto avoid Eglinton's car, which was. apparently, on the wrong side. Mr Graham: Mr Newth sdys lie never saw the car, therefore , that could not have been the case, i ■Joseph Sherlock McConkey, proprietor of the Kosy Lounge, said tho party left Wanganui about 4.55 p.m. They stopped seven or eiglit minutes at turakina, but he remained in the car. He remembered nothing at all of the accident, and recollected only j regaining consciousness in bed. He 'did not see-any car approaching, although it was his custom to watch the road. After leaving Turakina' their speed never greatly exceeded 25 miles an hour, and that would be about their' speed at the time. They had 'passed one car near the Rangitikei bridge, but he did not think they had passed any other. He had often been out with Newth, arid thought him one of the best, drivers in New Zealand. Since the accident he had heard that Newth was known as a fast driver. To Mr Graham: He did not think he could have missed seeing an approaching car. STATEMENTS BY OUTSIDERS. Alexander K. Mitchell, farmer, of Newbury, said Newth had.passed him in his car just on the Wanganuj , side of Bulls. Newtli did not then seem to be travelling at an excessive .speed. Witness said this was the \ first car oa the scene of the accident,'. which occurred about six miles from'where Newth had passed him. When [lie arrived both drivers were in' the i:ars. To Mr Graham: It was Mr Eglinton's son who stopped him at the scene of the collision. He could not definitely state what Newth's. speed, was, it might have, been 30; but ho himself , was generally a rather slow driver. • . •: „ Stanley Sharp, motor mechanic, or Bulls, stated that he went to Sandonthat night with Constable Wilson. The cars were badly .smashed, ' biit the switches of"Newth's car showed'that the lights had been turned full. on. The rear of Eglinton's car was on its correct "side, and the radiator, near the centre of .the road, while ' Newth s, back wheels'were, in'the middle of the'; road and his front wheels faced the seaward side. • . , . , , To Mr Graham: The switches might have been altered by any onej prying round the cars. There were possibly 20 or 30 people about. The switches might'have been transposed by the involuntary action of any person—conscious or unconscious—in. the front • seat of the car. , , An adjournment was then made until 9.30 this morning, when the evidence of four more witnesses will be taken.—Times. .