KILLED ON ROAD

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12904, 3 July 1936, Page 2

KILLED ON ROAD

AL)T()IM'Y(‘LIST I?-AX INTO DANCE PARTY. S! XTiflf N - YEA l? -OLD Ci l R L'S DEATH. A I', Lli (;EI) XEGLIG -ENT DIM VINO. iPress Association^ PALMERSTON N,. July'2. Kurilier evidence was given at the inquest concerning the death of Iren; AlcrA Campbell, aged 16 years. Awaken. who was killed shortly after midnight on April 17 when a motorcycle, allegedly carrying thre-3 men, ran into a party of four people returning from a dance. In conjunction w’th i lie inquest a charge is being heard against William Richard Paul, aged 21 years, a factory hand, of recklessly or negligently driving a motor-cycle and- thereby causing the death of .Hiss Campbell. \V. J. I’ciiu said lie heard a scream and a crash and hurried to the -scene, lie saw tin deceased lying in the middle of the road. Lifting her head , lie could sc-e that she was dead. Off the bitumen was a motorcycle with three men astride as if riding it as it lay on its side. As the accident occurred at -a bend in the road, the motor-cycle light would, ti. a certain extent, shim -off the bitumen. “A LITTLE MERRY.” John Bracken recalled the accused Paul arriving at- the dance with two others. Tlio witness thought Pa u l was a .“little merry,” showing signs of liquor. The witness left the cianct wit-h the three Campbell girls. They walked in pairs, Merle and Dorothy together and ho with Duleio. Cars passed ihem and when a motor-cycle was heard approaching they got off the bitumen on to the gravel, but the next minute, the. motor-ejek crashed into them. The witness was struck on a log and-in the middle of his back. Then ho knew' nothing more. Dorothy Campbell, aged 19 years, gave corroborative evidence, stating that she was the only one unhurt. Dulcie Campbell ,aged 17, said that Brakcm and Merle were behind the witness Dorothy. She was also knocked down. She had no recollection of the motor-cycle running into them. Her injuries kept her in bed for three weeks. William Candy stated that when he beard a motor-cycle coming he took a precaution to pull to the side of the road as lie knew the three young men who were at the dance might he on'it, and that they might have had drink. CONDITION AT -PARTY, Ernes!- Ross Bond stated that, at the dance, the condition of the three men was not such as to cause him to pay pari ii-nlar attention to them, but he admitted to Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike that he gave a statement to the police: “These three young men .seemed to have been drinking. They were not drunk. They were merry, but jlioir manner showed they had been having a few drinks.” Jack Polio told of a party that had ‘been held the same night as the dance. Men named Stewart, Telford and liarrouJield were there, and later when Paul arrived, further drinks had been purchased: They consisted of a glass jar full and three or four quart, bottles! All was consumed LiE TILDA V PARTY PRECEDED DANCE. L'liirk.x Ewart, 26, a farm-hand, gav« evidence that he attended ..kick Telford’s birthday party on the night of -April. 1(5. There was a half-gallon--jar containing beer, and also one bottle. The company included the accused who, a-- far as he knew, had only one drink. .Later, Pawl, Telford and witness eame to Palmerston North and v'sued an hotel where they had three dr-nkn eucii. After they came, out, Rani went back with anotherman for 10 minutes. They then went to the Awahuri dance; The wiln-Ss described the homeward journey before the crash, stating that Paul whs. driving a motor cycle and Telford sitting next to him, with witness at the back. The speed was l'j. to JJ aides an hour. C()RONEE’S COMMENT. The coroner here intimated that !m bad heard sufficient evidence'to ..enable hiui to determine the circumstances and arrive at a definite decision concerning the cause of death. “In view of the proceedings now bn_ :ng taken, i make lio comment on the end-nice- other than to say that the sudden and tragic death ol this young girl occurred- under circumstances which 1 am definitely of -opinion necessitate tiro fullest investigation.” The coroner said lie returned a verdict thu! death was due do injuries .sustained through being struck by a motor cycle driven by Raul. Further evidence •is now being heard on-the criminal charge.