Maori Killed in Motor Accident

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 97, 27 April 1939, Page 2

Maori Killed in Motor Accident

DRIVER MISTOOK HEADLIGHTS FOR TRAIN

That deceased had died at Palmerston North on March 29 as the result of injuries sustained in a motor accident, was the verdict entered by Mr. A. J. Graham at the inquest yesterday into the circumstances of the death of William H. Roach, a Maori carpenter, of Otaki.

Constable V. B. Arnold conducted proceedings for the police. Iu evidence D. G. Fraser, the driver of the car in which deceased was a passenger, stated that while motoring on March 27, a mile or two south of Te Horo he saw a light and remarked to the passengers in his car that a train was ax>proaching. It seemed some distance ahead, but the next thing he knew was a dazzling, brilliant light in his eyes. He sat back to avoid the glare and immediately his car struck an approaching vehicle. The light had seemed to come round a bend close to the railway. Witness was travelling at 40 miles an hour at the time of the impact and he could not say whether he dimmed his lights. The deceased was sitting in the front seat of the car alongside him. Whiu Carroll, a farmer, of Hastings, the driver of the other car, said he saw , Fraser’s car approaching and dimmed his lights. His car being an English make, the right-hand lamp was completely extinguished wnen the lights were dimmed. The lights of the other car were not dimmed and witness turned on to the side of the road and turned off the headlights. The other car continued on and struck witness’ car. The driver, Fraser, spoke to witness and asked whether anyone was seriously injured. Fraser said he was sorry, but mistook witness’ car for a traiu. There was no train in the vicinity at the time. Dr. T. O. Gilbert, a medical practitioner at tho Palmerston North Hospital, gave evidence that deceased died on March 29, death being due to celebral contusion and shock from fracture of the spine. Deceased, in a conversation with witness when admitted to hospital, attributed his state to a motor accident.