CARS’ FATAL RACE

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 October 1931, Page 2

CARS’ FATAL RACE

“AFFAIR IS DISGRACEFUL.”

[PXB PBESB ASSOCIATION.] NAPIER, October 29. “I say again that the affair is disgraceful, and I leave it to the police to take such steps against those interested as they think necessary. As the evidence has disclosed, it is plain that the law was broken to smithereens in more than one instance. These remarks were made by the Coroner (Mr A. M. Mowlem) at the adjourned inquest on the victims oi the motor smash at Taradale on August 30. Three persons, Aati Whiti Whiti, his wife and infant son, died as the result of a car in which they were travelling from Waiohiki golf links towards Napier, colliding with a telegraph pole at Taradale. Mrs A. Apu, who was a passenger in the car at the time of the smash, gave evidence that when she and Mrs Whiti Whiti were waiting at the links, Whiti Whiti came out of the club house and said: “Just one more drink,” and re-entered. He later reentered with four other men, Desha, Stephenson, Matthews, and Campbell, and this time he was in the club house for a long time. Witness later went to the putting green, where she saw Whiti Whiti and others drinking and singing. Later, the car left the links with Mrs Whiti Whiti at the wheel. Stephenson’s car pulled up in front of them. Stephenson said somethingabout a race for either 4/6 or 5/6, this statement being in connection with some maize. Whiti Whiti said: “5/6 or nothing at all.” Stephenson said that they would have it out in a race which was to take place in changed cars. Whiti Whiti said: “What about my bus? If it gets broken, there is no insurance on it?” Stephenson said, “Leave that to me.” The race was to be to Taradale. They changed cars, Whiti Whiti taking the wheel of the car. Whiti Whiti tried to pass Stephenson on the right, but Stevenson’s car swerved to the right so that Whiti Whiti had to pull over further to the right, running into the gutter, hitting a culvert and then striking a telegraph pole. The witness stated that the accident would not have hpppened had the car in front kept to its correct side.

Luther Stephenson, in answer to Senior Sergeant Pender, said that there was talk in a jovial way about a race. He kept to the left centre of the road and did not think he exceeded forty-five miles an hour up to the time of the accident. He emphatically denied that at times he endeavoured to block the car which Whiti Whiti was driving. Witness said that he knew Whiti Whiti was behind him endeavouring to pass. A verdict was then given in accordance with the report of the doctor, the Coroner adding the following rider: — “All the deceased persons were injured in an accident to a motor-car belonging to Luther Stephenson, which was. being driven by Aati Whiti Whiti, which car had been changed for a car belonging to Aati Whiti Whiti which the said Luther Stephenson was driving and which was being raced from Waiohiki golf links to Taradale to settle a wager between the two car owners.”