CYCLING FATALITIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19195, 8 December 1925, Page 12

CYCLING FATALITIES.

MOTOR MECHANIC'S DEATH

FOUND LYING ON ROADWAY.

THROWN FROM HIS MACHINE

An inquest concerning the death of Mr. John Grant Merson, a young motor mechanic, who was found lying partly underneath his overturned motor-cycle on Mountain Road early on the evening of November 30, and died later, was hel-4 yesterday before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner.

Alfred Raymond MeElwain said he was in a City Council bus about six o'clock on the evening of November 10. Approaching the Mater Miseracordia© Hospital he saw deceased lying outstretched in the, centre of the road. The bus was stopped and witness went to the spot. Deceased was bleeding profusely from a gash in the back of the h-ead, and his foot was caught in one of the wheels of his motorcycle, which was overturned beside him. The back tyre was off the rim but was still inflated. There were marks on the road which clearly indicated the machine had skidded fully 20 yards. The ambulance was telephoned for twice by nurses from the Mater Miseracordiae Hospital. Deceased was finally placet! on a stretcher and removed to the Public Hospital by motor-car.

Sidney Lowndes, a taxi-driver, said he was driving a passenger along Mountain Road when he saw deceased lying in the middle of the road with a motor-cycle on top of one of his legs. Blood was trickling from his head. Deceased had evidently been thrown- only a short time before witness arrived. He placed a rug under deceased's head, while two motorists who had arrived went for a doctor and ambulance. There were skid marks oil the road for at least 30 yards. Marks on the step and saddle of the motor-cycle showed that these parts had grazed along the ground. The back tyre was partly off.

Witness said after the nurses referred to by the previous witness had telephoned a second time for the ambulance tney stated both ambulances were out. Witness therefore took deceased away in bis c<n. Thirty-five minutes elapsed from the time witness found deceased until he arrived at the hospital. In witness opinion deceased had been travelling fairly fast arid tho pedal had touched the ground, causing the accident. Dr. A. J. Mason, of the Auckland Hospital. said deceased did not fuily recover consciousness after his admission and died five days after the. accident. In witness opinion death was due to cerebral laceration and heart failure. The coroner found that death was due to a fracture of the skull, caused by deceased being accidentally thrown from his motor-cycle. THE DEVONPOET ACCIDENT. CONCLUSION OF THE INQUEST. The inquiry concerning the death of Laurance Wylio Gray, aged 13, who jell from his bicycle while on the way to Narrow Neck, was concluded yesterday before the coroner, Mr. Hunt. Allan Robert McLeod, a schoolboy, who was riding with Gray, said the accident was caused while deceased was trailing behind a motor-lorry. His towel caught in the wheel of his machine and he was thrown. However, deceased continued his journey to Narrow Neck and had a swim, but became ill after it. The coroner found that death was due to hemorrhage of the brain caused by the boy accidentally falling off his bicycle at Devonport on December 2.