FATAL SANDON MOTOR ACCIDENT.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 January 1929, Page 7

FATAL SANDON MOTOR ACCIDENT.

DEATH OF FOXTON LAD.

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH

At the inquest at Palmerston into the circumstances . surrounding the death of Oliver Leslie Anderson, of Poxton; aged 18, which occurred as a result of the car in, he was a passenger, overturning, the Coroner (Mr A.. J. Graham) returned a verdict of accidental death. Dr. Prank Ward, Superintendent of the Palmerston North Hospital stated that when deceased was admitted _to hospital he was conscious but complained of pain in-the back of the neck, inability to move both legs and partial inability to move 'both arms. The cause of death , was spreading inflammation of the spinal cord caused by frseture* James Bernard Coley, labourer, of Poxton, deposed that deceased was a passenger in the car witness drove from Mart on to Poxton on the afternoon of January 1. At a narrow part of the road about t\Vo miles on the Poxton side of Sandon, the sounding of a ear horn at his side was the first? intimation he had of a motorist oehind wishing to pass. Witness was pulling off to the side as the second car went by. The, driver of that motor, however, turned in too "quickly.-in-front of witness, the car catching witness’s motoa glancing blow in front that brokj the steering, rod. The result was that witness’s car overturned into the swamp alongside the road. Coley said he was- quite sure that the broken steering rod was the result of the blow ' and not the result of his haying suddenly to ’ pull the car against the impetus of the bloiy. Nor had the sudren application of the brakes been risponsible. The road he thought was ■foo narrow at that spot for a car to overtake another. He* only heard one blast of the horn of the rear car. His speed at the time Was from 17 to 20 ■m.pdi. The steering rod showed no sign of a flaw. , . jGeoffrey Mohekcy Williams desenb od the blow given Coley's front wheel by the passing car as a hard one. As soon as the steering rod broke the car headed for the swamp and overturned Deceased was the last to be got out. Witness considered Coley a competent driver. Alfred Edward Julian, taxidnver, of Levin, said he was the driver wf the ■ear which overtook Coley’s. Witness had been driving for 15 years and averaged 400 miles per week. When about a chain behind Coley he blew his horn but Coky kept straight on. As witness passed he felt no bump and didn’t know that the two motors had hit. A passenger remarked, however, that Coley’s*'car had touched'the taxi ahd. immediately afterwards called out that it.had gone over the bank. Witness stopped and went back to render assistance. Anderson was the only one hurt. Witness said he would expect to feel .a bump that would be sufficiently hard to capsize another motor. Witness’s speed at . the time was 25 To the Gdroner witness submitted the theory"-that the steering rod of. Coley’s car had broken as a result of a skid before the 'two touched. After the accidqnt he graced . the wobbly whEel,marks, f Further,,, witness "said he was of opinion' that there had been a flaw in the rod and that it could be ■seqn easily. Nobody could And a .mark on witness’s <ar where it had been struck. *

Alfred Jame} Marks, a passenger in

Julian's car, considered that there was Sample room for two cars to pass at the spot. It seemed to witness, however, - that Coley did not want Julian to pass as he didn't pull off when the horn ■was sounded. Witness saw the. broken steering rod and considered it had a flaw in it. He had travelled with Julian on several long journeys and considered him a capable driver. • ,la. Waitere, of Levin, lorry driver, tendered, the opinion that two lorries could' have passed at the spot where -Tiil^piacar passed Coley’s. Witness saw the broken steering, rod and considered. it had broken as a result of pressure on a flaw',. He,was a passenger in 'Julian's taxi but did not feel a bump. ■ ’ Herman Alfred Pierce, farmer, of .(Sanson and George Fred Schultz, sharemilker of. Makowhai, also gave evi-.-denco. Neither heard the noise of a ' collision.

In returning a verdict according to ’ medical evidence, the Coroner remarked that Coley had admitted he was travelling more to the right of the ‘road thaxi he should have been consequently Julian was obliged to pull over partly on to the grass. It docs’nt appear that an impact( if any) was sufficient to cause the car to overturn.Apparently the steering gear of Coley's car broke causing him to lose control. It was clear from the evidence that Julian sounded his horn. It was possible that loose metal caused the steering rod to break and if' the weight of evidence was to be believed, tho rod was faulty.