WOMAN CYCLIST’S DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 October 1944, Page 4

WOMAN CYCLIST’S DEATH

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

A verdict that Mrs. Honorah Lowry died at Reefton Hospital on October 28 as a result of injuries received when she was struck bj r a motorvan driven bv Harold B. Hudson, at the intersection of Buller and Crampton roads, Reefton, and that death was accidentally caused and no blame was attachable to the driver of the vehicle, was returned by the ActingCoroner (Mr. F. W. Archer, J.P.), at an inquest at Reefton yesterday into Mrs. Lowry’s death. John Charles Lowry said he left his wife at the Reefton Catholic Church shortly before 8 p.m. Mrs. Lowry intended cycling home along the Buller road. The bicycle had no lamp attached. His wife usually used a torch as a lamp. Dr. J. L. Wicken (Reefton) said in evidence that an examination of the injured woman revealed a fractured skull and severe lacerations of the face, also two broken bones in the right leg. An operation was necessary, but the patient died. at midnight on Saturday.

Mrs. Betty Doreen Le Petit, of Reef ton, who was cycling along Buller road at the time of the accident, said she heard a crash and saw two young men get out of a motor-van and go to the help of a cyclist, whom she had noticed riding ahead of her along the road. Witness went to help and found Mrs. Lowry unconscious. She assisted the young men to place Mrs. Lowry in the van for removal to the hospital. An examination of the bicycle showed that the machine had no lamp attached. The night was dark; very stormy, with a strong wind, and it was raining heavily. Harold B. Hudson, the driver of the motor-van, said he was returning to Reefton along the Buller road from the railway station, and as the van was nearing the turn off for Crampton road, he suddenly saw a figure loom up some two yards ahead of the van. He swung to the left of the road, but could not avoid a collision. He was certain that the cyclist had no lamp on her cycle. He considered this factor, with the bad visibility at the time, caused the accident. The van was stopped in its own length by the brakes. Peter J. Crossan, student, of Reefton, who was riding in the van at the time of the accident, corroborated the driver’s evidence. Constable A. C. Hobbs, Reefton, gave details of an examination he had made at the scene of the accident about one hour and a-half after the accident. Broken glass from a shattered headlamp had been found. The brakes of the' motor-lorry were in good condition when examined by him. and the warrant of fitness was current. ...