WAIMATA FATALITY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12865, 20 May 1936, Page 7

WAIMATA FATALITY

MOTOR CYCLE AND SIDE CAR OVER BANK INQUEST ON J.O SI AH HARVEY , WALTON DEATH DUE TO DROWNING The inq-uest into tile circumstances surrounding the death of Josiah Harvey WatKoh, 29 year’s, whose body' wasi found, in a creek on Mandecs’ road, Waimata Valley, on Sunday, May 10, was resumed yesterday before the coroner, Mr E. L. Walton. S.M., and at the conclusion a verdict was returned that death was due to drowning following upon a motor accident.

Sergeant Campagnolo conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police and Mr J. Do V. Blathwayt was present oni behalf of the relatives. John Charlets. William Graham, sheepfarm. supervisor, residing in Iranui road, said that ah about 9.30 a.m. on Sunday, May 10, lie called at the Masonici Hotel and picked up Mr W. Alexander in his car. They proceeded along Waimata. Valley. After leaving the valley road and getting on tO' "Handers road, they approached a nasty dangerous turn. Witness described a miraculous escape from serious injury by a, party of Maori shearers when their car missed the bridge and' the front wheel caught in a strut under a pile and thus turned 'lie car on the whole of them. When they reached the spot he pulled the car up ana asked Mr Alexander if he could '?ee this strut. Mr Alexander said lie could not, so' witness took the car a li/'tle further on tuul pulled up cn the bridge. Mr Alexander was sitting in tho car on the side where the former accident occurred. Witness asked if ho could see the strut now and lie said ho could" not, but "here was al motor cycle) and sidecar upside down. They both got out. and walked. to the edge) of the bridge. They could see a man’s legs st'eking out from under the sidecar which was upside down on ton of Ids body. They scrambled down about 25 To 30 feet to the bottom and. could see* the man w.ais dead. H"s head and! shoulders were pressed- under the water by the seat of the sklecar. They telephoned the police and witness also cOmmunier/ed with his soil. T.o Mr Blathwayt: The previous night was frosty arid) Hie surface of the bridge was in a position where the frost would be severe. On euch a night the bridge would probably have a .slippery surface. The bridge could be described as- particularly dangerous. There had. already been three accidents there to lrs knowledge. Jt was a, right angle turn-off, vV:h a. downhill approach on either side. The deceased would have to turn to the left to get on to the bridge and then turn to the right- After leaving the cabstand turn-off at Waunata, the roadf is very tricky all the way. He knew the deceased personally. He was a man of very 1 emperate habits! and he was a particularly, good man on a station. Peggy Jones, housemaid at Mr Graham’s, Waimata Valley, said about 5.30 mm. on thd Saturday she left in company with the deceased as a passenger in a side-car, the motor cycle being driven by deceased. Shortly after leaving; he had trouble with his; motor cycle, and this occurred on a steep hill just after he left. He had just learnt) to drive amotor cycle. They arrived at Gi«borne a.t 8.20, town time. T hey spent, half an hour ahead of town! tune at the station. On arrival m Gsbornc fchev went tot the pictures and after that they went to tliei home ol deceased’s sister Mrs Lucas. Ormond road, where they had supper. They left- about 1 a.m.. on the return journey. witness again being n the. side car They had a bi>. of trouble on the wav‘hack. Deceased drove witness to the carshed and leffi witness there. It would he about 2.30 a.m. Deceased said he wiw about to return to lrs sister’s place in Gisborne. He was in. health and perfectly sober. He intended to go to To Karaka after having been to In's sister’s place. To Mr Blathwayt: The deceased had been over the road two or three times. He was. a very careful driver. The side,-car was on the left-hand side.'of: the motor cycle. Constable Heasbp gave evidence as to proceeding to- Waiamtn. 5 alley in company with. Constable Teece. He saw the body Avliicli was face downward?; in about 14 inches of water. The saddle of the motor cycle and side- car were on top of deceased with the saddle resting on deceased’s neck and the* side-car on his knees. There, were marks down the hank where the cycle went. over. The bridge was a very dangerous one. with no side rails. The drop to the c’cek was 14 feet. To Mr Blathwayt: Al side-car was very tricky for a mo or-cyclist. 'I he ordinary danger of a- sklf-cari would be increased oil such a hr’dge. He would attribute death to drowning, as all the signs were consistent with such. Thee were no other sign's on the body. The cycle was it twin-cylinder machine, and even if a man. were in full possession of his faculties i L . would be difficult rather to get from under the machine when in such a position Inthci creek. The coroner returned: a. verdict that death was due to drowning following upon a/ motor cycle) ii/ec.dent.