WANGAMOA HILL FATALITY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 16 February 1935, Page 6

WANGAMOA HILL FATALITY

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATHS Verdicts of accidental death were returned by tlie Coroner, Mr T. E. Maunsell yesterday when the inquest was held into the deaths of Herbert Edmund Berry, and Lilian Ruth Berry," who died as the result of injuries received when their car went over the bank on the Wangarnoa Saddle. SeniorSergeant, C. Petersen conducted the inquest for - the police. Mr J. R. Kerr appeared for Charles K. Bennett. Leslie lan Parton, assistant medical officer at the Nelson Hospital said that at 9.45 p.m. on the d th February Herbert Berry was dead on admission to hospital. There was a small mark on the top of the head, bat there. was no other visible injury. In his opinion the cause of death was due to head injuries. Lilian Berry, admitted to hospital at the same time was deeply unconscious and :ould not he roused. There was a deep cut about 3 inches long on the right, temple. Her condition gradually became worse and she died at 7 a.m. on the sth February, without recovering consciousness In his opinion death was due to severe head injuries. Charles Kidson Bennett lorry-driver, of PM Valley, said on the evening of i.he 4th February he was driving a lorry up the Wangarnoa hill. At about 7 o’clock, when it was quite daylight, near a sharp corner he passed a car driven by a Mr Arnold. When he saw Arnold’s car approaching he swung in to the left as far as lie could and Arnold drove past. Witness first noticed the second car, driven by Berry, when lie had passed the front of Arnold’s car. On seeing the other car lie stopped close in to the bank. At the moment Berry’s car was a. little over 30 yards away. Witness saw the wheels of Berry’s car go over the edge of the road and the car disappear down the bank. Berry’s car went over the bank before it reached the lorry. The Arnolds came back and he suggested that they go for help. Mr G. Hill was the first to arrive after the accident. In tlie interval until the arrival of the ambulance he, Rill, and others went down the bank to render as much assistance as possible. Constable Janies Jackson said he went to the scene of the accident on the ambulance. The width of the road was 15 feat 6 inches. The car travelled 41 feet with tin wheel over the bank.

In giving tlie verdict the Coroner said the happening was entirely accidental, the lorry driver in no way being responsible. The verdicts were: That Herbert Edmund Berry died from head injuries sustained accidentally through a car driven by him going over the bank on the Wangarnoa. Saddle; and that Lilian Ruth Berry died from head injuries, accidentally sustained, when driving in the same car.