THE MANGERE FATALITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18075, 27 April 1922, Page 9

THE MANGERE FATALITY

THE CORONER'S FINDING.

GIRL'S BICYCLE NOT LIGHTED QUESTION OF SPEED OF CAR The adjourned inquest concerning the death of Miss Lucy Agnes Ford, aged 17, who was fatally injured in a collision with a motor car at the Mangere Bridge when cycling home on the evening of April 19, was held by Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., yesterday. Miss Ford received severe injuries to the h«id and died at the Auckland Hospital soon after admission. Mr. Moody appeared for the relatives of deceased and Mr. Mowbray for the driver of the car. The medical evidence shoved that deceased was admitted to the hospital in an unconscious condition, suffering from concussion and a fracture of the base of the skuli. Death was due to heart faihre following severe cerebral injury. The evidence showed that deceased left the Onehunga tram terminua with a com-1 j panion, both cycling without lights. The other girl turned back to go to a shop. | She said a motor-car passed her at a fait j , spi-ed as she was leaving tho bridge and j i sh«> turned a.iide to avoid it. Two men I who v-ere crossing the bridge to their homes at Mangere said a <-:>.\- passed them j at a speed estimated at 20 to 25 miles I and 30 miles an hour respectively. They then hbard a crash and continuing on found that an accident had occurred. A resident in Coronation Road said he beard a crash just outside his house and going out found the girl's shoes on the road. Deceased was lying on the road face I downwards. The bicycle was about 10 j yards away and the car about 25 to 30 | yards from where the girl was lying. A i doctor was summoned and the girl taken to the hospitaJ. The driver of the car, Philip Terence English, a farmer residing at Mangere, said he left Onehunga at 6 p.m. When he got to Coronation Road he was travelling at 15 to 18 miles an hour. Some trees threw shade on the left side of the j road beyond the bridge. As he was approachin'g the trees he became aware he ha-d collided with someone. He saw a body *\rown on the bonnet of the car and ' heard a scream. He stopped the car at j once and left it standing on the side of I the ro-i and came back. Deceased was ' lying on the road. A man came and togetfier thev went for a doctor. To Mr. Moodv witness said his headlight was on and would throw a light 15 to 20 yards ahead. He did not see the other girl on the bridge. He was keeping a good lookout and crossing the bridge was going at between 12 and 14 miles an hour. He could not account for not seeing the girl on the bicvele. He thought she must have crossed in" front of the car. The car j travelled about 20 yards after he saw the triri on the bonnet. He was not going more than 18 miles an hour when he struck her. It was very dark at the Constable Barnes said he examined the car the next day. The front of the radiator was damaged and the water had run out The bonnet was turned back in the I centre The bicvcle was badly smashed. ! There was no lamp. He was informed jit had been left at home., Witness gave further evidence regarding the plan pro-

The coroner returned a verdict that death was due to heart failure following severe cerebral injury caused by deceased beinjr ran into and knocked down by a car driven by Philip Terence English. He said it was not necessary for him to gay whether the injury was caused by carelessness of the driver or was accidental. There was no evidence as to the accident itself except that of the driver who said he did not see the girl til' right on her. She was riding a bicycle without light* and just ahead was a row of trees. Unless he had lights of exceptional brilliancy it would have been impossible for the driver to have seen the Sri The evidence of'witnesses who saw the car crossing the bridge was that it was travelling at a considerable speed, but it. was very difficult to judge speed. Mr McKean. in conclusion, sa'd he was not prepared to sav. on the evidence that there was no necrlieence of any kind on the part of the driver. He merely had to find the cause of death.