INQUEST ON MOTORIST

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1937, Page 4

INQUEST ON MOTORIST

CAB’S PLUNGE INTO RIVER(Per Press Association.) PALMEBSTON NORTH, April 23"I have no difficulty whatsoever m arriving at a verdict that deceased met his death at Rangiotu by accidental drowning, by the car going oft the highway into the Oroua Biver, said Coroner Graham at the inquest into the death of Arthur Eifnest Sexton 57. farmer, Himatangi. whoso ear’ made a sensational fatal plunge into the river about, midnight on March 23- . "The difficulty is to determine how the car left the road/’ added the Coroner- “It is impossible to say exactly what happened. As it approached the bridge, for some unknown reason the car left the road, careered madly across the country, and finished upside down in the river- ’’ The Coroner commended the police for their thorough, painstaking efforts- He thought they were wise m desisting efforts until daylight, when all hope of saving life had been abandoned- The police had been very thorough in the investigation of deceased’s actions during the day and the night of the tragedy. When police evidence was given,. Constable. Chapman showed that extensivei inquiries were made wth a view to ascertaining Sexton’s movements that day, but the last who saw him alive was a Foxton resident, after 11 p-m- There was a suggestion that two other persons might have been with deceased, but they had not been tracedThe Coroner: Apparently the car must have been travelling at a very high rate of speed to follow the course it did?—Yes.

In reply to Inspector Cummings, witness said the road at the bridge had a sharp curve at the end of the incline- A probable cause of the accident would be the. driver going to sleep, the ear getting out of controliSydney Harris, labourer,.,. Foxton. said he was talking to deceased at 11 p.m. on March 23- In the car was a bottle of beer,, of which deceased consumed some then, and left toward Foxton- Deceased wa K quite sober and fit to drive the car-