CYCLIST’S DEATH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 209, 2 August 1940, Page 4

CYCLIST’S DEATH

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. An inquest was held yesterday before the Coroner (Mr A. J. Graham) into the death of (Sydney Arthur Harvey, aged 53, labourer, of 8134 Boundary Road, when a verdict was returned that death was caused by laceration of the brain, caused by a fractured skull, sustained in a motor accident on June 21. The accident occurred when the bicycle deceased was riding and a car collided, at the corner of Eitzherberb Avenue and Ferguson Street. Sergeant C. Murphy represented the police, Mr G. C. Petersen appeared lor the relatives of deceased, and Mr A. M. Ongley for L. W. P. McDonald, the driver of the car. Dr. H. J. Gossett, describing deceased’s injuries after ho was admitted to hospital, said that the rrgrit side of the skull was fractured. Colin Mark Leighton, lorry driver, said he was walking across the intersection when he saw a car approaching. It reduced speed at the corner. As ho started to walk along the north side of Ferguson Street he heard a crash, and saw deceased and a bicycle lying on the ground. He did not see deceased before the impact. He thought that the car was going at 15 miles an hour over the intersection. The Coroner informed counsel that in the evidence of identification previously given by deceased’s son, witness, had said that his father’s hearing was good but he was shortsighted and as a result had to wear glasses. The driver of the car, who is a farmhand residing at 22 Clifton Street, said he approached the intersection at about 1C miles an hour. He observed the cyclist and immediately applied his brakes, and the car stopped immediately on the point of impact. The only suggestion he could give for hot seeing deceased was that the latter must have been on the cycle track where he could have been obscured by street trees at the time witness glanced to the left. A verdict was returned as stated.