TWO INQUESTS

Northern Advocate, 4 August 1932, Page 4

TWO INQUESTS

AIOTOR CYCLE RIDERS. SPEEDING IN ONE CASE. (Special to “Northern Advocate,”) AUCKLAND, This Day. An inquest was held, yesterday afternoon into the circumstances attending the death of Gerald Rowe Clapham, aged-45, an insurance agent of Great North Road, Pt. Chevalier, who died as the result of injuries received when his bicycle collided with a motor l.orrv on Julv 11.

The evidence showed that deceased was riding on the Great North Road behind a bread delivery van, which stopped at the corner of . Grosvenor Street. He pushed himself off the van with one hand and came in front of a lorry owned by the Auckland Mental Hospital and driven by Lincoln Gaudy. The bicycle skidded and Clapham fell, the front wheel of the lorry passing over him. An eye-witness of the accident said the lorry driver had no opportunity, of pulling up.

The coroner, Air W. R. McKean, S.AL, returned a verdict that Clapham died as a result of injuries accidentally caused. He said he was satisfied that flic lorry was being carefully driven.

A verdict of accidental death was also returned in the ease of Ivor Courtenay Hobday, aged 20, of Vic : toria Avenue, -Remuera, who was killed when liis motor cycle crashed into a telegraph pole alongside Eenjuera Road, near Newmarket Road, on July: 5. The evidence showed that the motor cycle struck a glancing blow on the side of a tramear which was travelling in Die same direction and then ran directly on to the post. The coroner said the injuries were caused by an accidental fall. It appeared that deceased was travelling faster than lie should have done round tho corner,, although the ■ road was clear.