FATAL MOTOR MISHAP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20407, 8 November 1929, Page 17

FATAL MOTOR MISHAP.

DRIVER HELD NEGLIGENT.

FINDING BY THE CORONER. DEATH OF AN ELDERLY MAN. [BY TELEGnArn.—OWN coriiesponpent.] HAMILTON, Thursday. An inquest was held to-day concerning tho death of Oscar Larson, aged 57, who died in the Waikato Hospital on October 28 from injuries received 011 October 26 when he was knocked down by a motorcar driven by Noel Douglas Robertson, motor service driver, Hamilton. The accident occurred near Tamahcre, on the 1 lamiltoll-Canibridge Road. Evidence was given by Harold Alexander Williams, a passenger in Robertson's car. Robertson, he said, was driving at from 25 to 30 miles an hour. After turning a corner at Taniahero witness saw Larscn 011 the middle of the road 50 yards ahead. There were two other vehicles ou tho road travelling toward Hamilton. Application of Brakes. At about 30 yards from the pedestrian Robertson sounded his horn. Larsen hesitated and then continued 011 his way. Roberlsou slackened his speed considerably and pulled his car further to the left side. Larscn made a hasty movement and jumped right in front of the car, which ran over him. Just before the man was struck Robertson applied his brakes and swerved still further to the left.. Had Larsen stayed where he was when he was first seen by witness the car would have cleared him. Robertson could not swerve to the right owing to the approach of two vehicles 011 that side. Harry Morris and Terence Thomas Turner, other passengers in the car, and Charles Sydney Gardiner, the driver of a lorry, also gave evidence. The driver of the service car, Noel Douglas Robertson, said that as he approached Tamahcre' he noticed a motor-car and motor-lorry standing ou the side of 4 the road facing Hamilton. A man was standing alongside the car and suddenly walked across the road in front of witness' car. Witness swerved his car to the left as far as he could, but was unable, to avoid him. Larsen was struck with the right mudguard of the car. Witness said he was travelling at between 23 and 30 miles an hour when lie approached the scene of the accident. The car was only 2yds. from the man when witness sa\» him crossing the road. He did not sound his horn, as he had no time to do so. " Discrepancies in Evidence." Summarising the evidence, the coroner, Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., said the old man who was killed was making a perfectly lawful use of the highway. He was carrying his swag in the direction of Tamahcre, walking in the middle of the bitumen. The coroner referred to several discrepancies iu the evidence of the witnesses relating to the distance of Robertson's car from Larsen when the latter moved across the road. The driver of the lorry said deceased was 10ft. from Robertson's car when he made a frantic endeavour to dive across the road.

The grave part of the evidence was that Robertson did not sec Larsen until the car was 2yds. from him. Robertson said it, was then too late for him to sound his horif. Tho previous sounding of the horn could not have been on Larsen's account, but as a warning to the other vehicles.

Robertson had not seen Larsen until it was too late. He could not slop in time. The coroner did not think he was keeping a proper look-out. A verdict was returned that death was caused by injuries sustained when deceased was knocked down by a motorcar driven by Noel Douglas Robertson, and that Robertson was driving the car in a negligent manner.