THE BROAD STREET FATALITY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1015, 17 November 1917, Page 5

THE BROAD STREET FATALITY.

THE CORONER'S VERDICT. The adjourned inquest on Francis William Villars, who was killed in Broad street on October 23 by a motor car driven by Fred. 11 oult, was re-opened at the Courthouse this morning, before Mr W. G. K. Kenrick. S.M., District Coroner. Mr Ongley appeared for F. Uoult.

Sub-Inspector Mackinnon, who conducted the case for the police, said the- statements of the other two occupants of the oar had been obtained, and did not affect the case in any way.

In a written verdict, the Coroner .said: "The evidence proves that, deceased and another boy, named Vott, were both riding a bicycle, from (he Catholic Church in Broad '.street towards the Square, alxnit noon, on October 23; that they were riding on the correct side of the road, and when n<-ar the Zealandia Hall they commenced to Tide across the street to the cycle track, at a slant towards the Square.

"At the time a motor car, driven by Fred Moult, was approaching the Square, travelling in the same direction a.s the boys, and catching them up. It is further proved (1) that there was no traffic in tho street, except, the car and the bicycle, from the corner of Duke street until near the Square; (2) that Broad street, is about 66 feet wide, and paved all over; (3) that iioult- did not sound his horn; (4) that Moult was driving about tho centre of the street, and saw the boys on their correct side of the street ahead of him, and going in the same direction a s himself; (5) that Hoult neither altered his course nor reduced his speed, nor sounded his horn until the car struck the bicvcle.

"From these proved facts, it is quite clear Moult could have avoided ihe accident without the slightest difficulty in more than one way, namely, by slightly reducing his .speed until the boys got clear of the centre of the street, on which Hoult was travelling; or by giving warning by sounding his horn sufficiently early to give the boys time to get clear of the centre of the. street if Hoult did not intend to alter his course; or by dividing his course a foot or two. He had a clcai 'itreet to do this, and would have been, more on his correct side of the street if ho should have met traffic later. I judge from the evidence his speed to be about 12 inil"s an hour, not an excessive speed at the place of tho accident when the i street was clear of all other traffic.

"Hoult's explanation of the cause of the accident," continued tin; coroner, "is next to impossible. He says lie caught up to the buys, and was about, even with them, they being on their correct side, about 20 feet, from him, when he took his eyes oil' them. Th© next lie saw was the boys a few feet in front of him, in the centre of the street. To do this the hoys would have had 10 travel the twenty feet, they were apart from the cur, and increase their speed so as to get ahead of a car travelling twelve miles an hour, and this on a push bicycle against a. head wind. ".My verdict is that Francis William Villars was killed on 25th October, 1917; (2)_ (hat the cause of death was injuries received from being run over by a motor car driven by Fred, [lou.lt in Broad street. Palmerston North, on the said 23rd October. 1917; (3) that, the accident was caused through the gross negligence of the said Fred_ Hoult in neither sounding his horn, altering his course, nor reducing his speed when catching the deceased up, who was riding ahead of him on the bicycle; (4) that neither the deceased nor tho boy with him did in any way contribute to the accident."

lIOUT.T CHARGED WITH MAX SLAUGHTER.

llculi was then arrested and appeared before Mr Kenrick, S.St., on tho following charge: -Thai on October 23. 1917. he did unlawfully kill one Francis William Villars.

Accused, for whom Mr Ongley appeared, was remanded until November 23 next, on the s application of Sub-Inspector Mackinnon.

Bail was allowed accused, himself in one surety of £2OO and two sureties of £IOO each.

MOTOR TRAFFIC BY-LAWS.

NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT

After the inquest this morning', Sub-In-snoctor Mnckinnon said thai in view oi' Iho fact that tho Borough Council were about to frame now by-laws for the regulation of motor traffic, ho. thought ir advisable for tho coroner to make n statement which might carry some weight, with the Council. The practice of doublebanking on bicycles and motor-cycles was most dangorous, and tho police also received many complaints from sick people in rqgard to the practice of riding motorcycles without silencers. Ho was of the opinion that tho by-laws should he made much moro stringent in order to give the police power to deal witli offenders. The coroner said that the motor traffic should be fully controlled by by-laws. Silencers were an absolute necessity, as many motor-cycles mado noises like a volley of guns. Double-banking should also be stopped, both on cycles and motorcycles, as on the latter it prevented tho one in front from acting quickly in case of accident. The coroner also referred to tho fact that the puhlic were allowed to stand blocking the footpaths with perambulators for no reason whatever. Ho also complimented tho police on the way in which they had enforced tin 1 existing traffic by-law's during the last, few months, and said there had been noticeable improvement in tho motor traffic.