CAR'S FATAL FALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21482, 4 May 1933, Page 10

CAR'S FATAL FALL

INQUEST ON VICTIMS DEATH OF FOUR PEOPLE VISIT TO A CABARET DRIVER LEFT BEHIND £by telegraph—PßESS association] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The inquest on the four victims of <{. he tragic accident which occurred at midnight on April 1, when a motorcar plunged over a 40ft. bank at Island Bay, was resumed to-day before the coroner, Mr. E. Gilbertson, J.P. The victims were Olga Beryl Bardebes, aged 18; Ernest Joseph Dickson, aged 22; James Henry Wood, aged 34; and his wife, Margaret Gilmour Wood, aged 34. Eunice Dickson, widow, mother of Ernest Dickson, said that on the evening before the accident she knew he intended to go to a dance with Miss Bardebes. They had been keeping company for some time. Witness saw no sign of drink on him or on any other member of the party before they left. Katherine E. M. Bardebes, mother of Olga Bardebes, said that her daughter left home about 7.15 on tjie evening of April 1 with Dickson. She knew that they were going to a dance. The girl was not in the habit of drinking at all. An Occupant's Escape Dr. I?. B. Martin said he was called to the scene of the accident shortly after it occurred. Three people were dead on the roadway beside the wrecked car, and another, Dickson, was obvioush- dying. DicksQn and another passenger, Miss Morris, were sent to hospital. E. Hooker, who was said to be the driver of the car, was also sent to hospital, suffering from shock and a-brasions. Witness saw no evidence, of alcohol on him, and thought he was remarkably composed considering the ordeal he had gone' through. In reply to Mr. Leicester, for the relatives of Dickson and Miss Bardebes, tho witness said that he concluded that Hooker had' been in the car when it fell.

In reply to Mr. Fitzgerald, for tho owners of the car, who asked whether it was not remarkable that Hooker was not seriously injured, in view of the shattered state of the steering wheel, •the witness said he had seen two previous instances of drivers being thrown forward and breaking the steering wheel without receiving serious injury. Car Found Upside Down

• Dr. Eugene Lynch, of tho Wellington Hospital staff, said that Dickson died about an hour and a-half after his admission. Nothing could be done for him. Miss Morris was still in hospital. i Mr. Leicester: From your surgical and medical knowledge, would you express an opinion as to whether it was remarkable or not that the driver, if he was in the car, should have only slight abrasions? Witness: Yes, I agree that'it would bo remarkable, but I herftate to draw any conclusions from that. Horace T. T. Carter said that when he first saw the car it was upside down on the roadway. He and others lifted the car on to its side. The six occupants had been pinned underneath. One of them extricated himself without assistance. He appeared to have come from the back of the car. In reply to Mr. Leicester, the witness said that he was the first on the scene. The car appeared to have fallen squarely on its hood, which was completely crushed it. From the way the car had fallen, witness wgs astonished that anyone should be able to get out unassisted and uninjured. Left-hand Steering

Gerald Fitzgerald, tyre dealer, said that he drove the car with a party of nine, including the deceased, to the cabaret at Island Bay on the evening of April 1. It was a seven-seater touring car, with left-hand steering, and had been lent to witness by his father. It carried number-plates, but he did not know whether it was actually registered. The party remained at the cabaret until about 11.30 p.m., when it was suggested that they should go home. Witness &aid that owing to a weak battery it took him some minutes to start the car, after which ho drove round to the main entrance. Frank L. Hoare, a member of tho party, accompanied him. He left tho car in low gear and with brakes on, and wer.t with Hoare to get the party together. They passed four members of the party going out to tho car. / Neither witness nor Hoare could find Mr. and Mrs. Wood, and they then returned to find the car gone. 1 hey were away about five minutes. They \ walked do>vn the hill, and on not seeing the car decided that the others had left them behind. Then they heard that there had been an accident and went to, investigate. Condition of the Brakes

The witness said that Hooker told him they had been sitting in the car and others had "jeered" him to drive. Hooker had asked him earlier if he could have the car to take some of tho girls home and he had refused. It was understood that witness was to drne the car home. The brakes were in good condition. He knew from experience 'that he was not a good driver, the witness continued. For that reason ho had refused to allow Hooker to drive. • To Mr Baldwin, for Hooker, the witness said that it was never agreed that the party should split up. Hooker expected him to come out to the car again and to drive them home, so there was no need for Hooker to take the car down the hill. It was not until 11.30 that any suggestion was made about the' girls ha vine to be home by midnight. It was about the same time that Hooker suggested taking the - car. Denial ol Drinking Chief-Detective Carroll asked the witness if he knew that there was very little lining on the brake-shoes and th&t in places the steel was bare. The witness replied that he did not know that, and could judge the efficiency of the brakes only from his own experience. The Coroner: What drinks did you have that night? Witness: None: We had our supper at the cabaret. We had coffee. No drink was taken out to the car P—• No. The witness added that the car was not a difficult one for anybody who knew anything about cars to drive, but its left-hand steering gear might make it strange for a dri\cr accustomed to the other type. Frank Let) Hoare said that his statement made to'the police might not have been wholly true. When the car was left it was parked facing downhill. Norman Meyers, motor mechanic, Eaid ho had driven the car on hills. The brakes were in good order. Ihe car's number-plates belonged to another. It had not been registered for 1933. , _ The inquest was adjourned until tomorrow.