CRUSHED BY CAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1932, Page 2

CRUSHED BY CAR

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, August 12

A formal verdict was returned by Mi* T. B. McNeill, at the inquest concerning the death of Dr Robert Lisle Christie, who was crushed beneath a xnotox* cax* that capsized over the bank at Ngahauranga Gorge on July 13. The evidence of the driver-owner, Frederick Goldsmith, was that the car skidded suddenly at'a corner of the wet road. He had had foui* drinks throughout the day at the races, he said. On the way back from the races Di* Christie got into Goldsmith’s car. and said that he would drive. A traffic inspectox* held them up and drove the car to the police station. He warned them that Dx* Christie was not to drive. Witness therefore took the wheel. He was travelling at fifteen miles an hour when the accident occurred. Dr Christie did not touch the wheel.

Supporting evidence was given by others, including the traffic inspector, who said that the cax* had a slight Wobble in steering. Christie was not fit to drive, but his detention was unwarranted, so the party Were allowed to proceed when Goldsmith gave an undertaking to drive. The Coronex* drew the attention of the local body to the need for a fence at the spot, which is dangerous.