MOSGIEL TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1939, Page 6

MOSGIEL TRAGEDY

TRUCK DRIVER TO STAND TRIAL

(Per Press Association.—Copyright.)

DUNEDIN, April 26

. In the Police Court this morning before' Mg d. R. . Bartholomew, S.M., William Alexander Tait, aged 30, appeared on charges arising from tap tragedy which occurred on Duke’s Road, Mosgiel, on April 15, whereby two young people lost their lives. The charges were: (1) That the accused had negligently driven a motor truck, thus causing the deaths of Neil Harris and Vera Thomson; and (2) that the accused, being the driver of a motor truck whereby an accident had occurred involving injury to two per. sons, Vera Jessie Thomson and Neil Harris, did fail to report such accident. It was agreed to take the in# quest concurrently with* the hearing of the charges. Mr J. G. Warrington appeared for the defence in the Police Court proceedings, and Mr D. A. Solo# moa for the owner of the truck (David Tait), and Mr C. J. C. White fo’r the relatives of Neil Harris at the inquest.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the major charge, and guilty to having failed to report the accident. . Evidence -was given by the’ police and Dr Spedding, of Mosgiel, who said that, in his opinion, death was instantaneous in the case of each of the deceased.

Allan McKerrow, jockey, of Wingatui, said that on the evening of April 15, he saw the accused about 8 o’clock. They had had four or five beers each. Accused said he had a motor truck down the street and witness went for a ride in it. Later, witness was in Duke’s Road about 11.30 in the truck with Tait, who was driving, when Tait had said something about having hit something. The truck was backed, and Tait got out and went back, and as witness got out, he saw a flicker of light, and he heard Tait say “He is dead!”' Witness saw a man lying on the road, and a motor bicycle. He saw no other body. Before the truck was stopped, witness saw no other motor vehicle, coming towards him. He had his head down, and was “sort of dozing.’ When they got back on the truck, Tait appeared to be very cut up about it. Witness had said to Tait: “It would be just as well to report it,” and offered to show him the police station. They drove past the old Mosgiel police station. Tait had said that he did . not likq going away and leaving the bodies there, but he gave no reason then why he did not report to the police. Witness was directing Tait, as the ; latter did not know the localiey. Tait said something, later, about leaving the matter oveF until he had had time to think about it. They had gone to witness’s home. From the position of the body of the man and the motor cycle it would be the right-hand side of. the lorry which had struck them, if it. did so. Accused called upon him on Sunday, and told witness that, two people had been killed, and he did not know, what to do about it. At tlie time of the accident, witness considered the accused had had a few drinks, but was not drunk..

After further evidence, the .Magistrate committed accused for trial on the charge of causing the deaths of Neil Harris an Vera Thomson- Decision in the matter of . the second charge, to .which the accused-* had ; pleaded guilty, and the verdict in the; inquest proceedings, were postponed till after he Supreme Ctmrt trial.