JOHN J. DOYLE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 August 1924, Page 10

JOHN J. DOYLE.

INQUEST CONCLUDED. VEKDICT OF ACCIDENTALLY KILLED. Before the Coroner, Air J. S. Barton, S.Af., the enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of John Joseph Doyle was continued yesterdnv afternoon. John Lawrence Atkinson, dairy factory assistant at .Tokaora, said his brother-in-law had informed him that there wRs an accident down the road, and he went out to investigate. A motor-cycle came along from the direction of Manaia, and he got the. rider of the machine to turn his light on to the scene. With the assistance of a motor cyclist and his passenger, witness moved the body. Messrs Tippetts and limes then came along. Witness corroborated Tunes’ evidence regarding the skid mark off the crown of the road on to the soft portion, and further stated that- from what he saw of the cycle he did not think that it had collided with any other machine. In view of the fact that the generator of the lamp was turned off witness advanced the theory that Doyle had been leaning over turning the screw top with one hand and in this way lost control of the machine.

To the brother of deceased witness replied that the bend of the bicycle in towards the side car could have been caused by the severe strain resulting from the skid.

Constable P. J. Mullan said he visited the scene of the accident in company with Dr McGhie, who examined the body and pronounced life extinct. Witness detailed the relative positions of the motor-cycle and the body, and gave detailed evidence with regard to the skid marks on the road. From the point where the cycle first left the asphalt to the point where the accident occurred was twenty yards. Witness advanced the theory that with the sudden swerve the side-car lifted and the right-hand footboard of the .cycle, which was broken and showed a tar mark, hit the road with the result that Doyle was thrown off and the wheel passed over him. H. F. W. Latham, motor. mechanic, said he had examined the motor-cycle and the locality where the accident had occurred. The right-hand footboard of the cycle was broken, leaving a tar mark oil the broken part, the chassis bent, and. the springs'wrenched round to the cycle. However, there was no evidence of the - eyelg having collided with any other vehicle. The Coroner, in delivering his finding, said that the evidence had been very carefully collected by the police. One of the points of general interest about the enquiry was the way in which careful investigation and a number of witnesses who had no personal interest in the occurrence had showed how accurately everything could be pieced together in such a manner that everything fitted exactly. The finding of the court was that deceased was accidentally killed whilst riding his motor-cycle near the Tokaora factory on the night of July 23.