TRAGEDY SEQUEL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21506, 1 June 1933, Page 12

TRAGEDY SEQUEL

MOTOR OVER A CLIFF NEGLIGENCE ALLEGED CABARET PARTY'S FATE DRIVER TO STAND" TRIAL [BT TELBGEAPH —OWN CORKESPO33JEST] WELLINGTON', Wednesday On charges of reckless driving, arising from the fatal accident; at Island Bay,, when a motor-car returning from au cabaret went over a cliff, Frederick Patrick Hooker appeared to-day in thu Police Court, before Mr. E. Pag», S3!i. Hooker was charged with recklessly driving the motor-car so as to cause the deaths of James Henry Wood, his wife, Marjorie Wood, Olga Eardebtis and Ernest Joseph Dickson. Mr. O'Leary appeared for accused.

Chief-Detective Carroll, who prosecuted, said that the charge was sji aftermath of the unfortunate fatality which, occurred at Island Bay at midnight cm April 1. At the inques'i, which was held recently, a great many witnesses had been heard. In the present proceeding the police had been able to reduce the number of witnesses to eight. Gerald Fitzgerald said that when lie drove the car to the cabaret at Islamd Bay it wa3 in g:ood mechanical condition and no trouble had been experienced with the brakes. Witness then gave his version of "he circumstances under which the car and the party left the cabaret. Condition of the Brakes After the accident, he said he asked Hooker why he had touched the car, and Hooker replied that he was "jeered" into driving. Witness siiid that he had learned since the accident that the brake-bands were worn. The brakes, however, were correctly adjusted and the fact that the bands w.;re worn would not have made any'difference. About a week before the accident witness had been in a car -which, accused was driving. Witness formed the opinion that accused was not a good driver. Mr. Page: Do you know if accuned had any liquor that day? Witness: I think ho had three or firar drinks just before dinner, at about a.30 p.m. Witness said that he and Dickson were with accused when he had tie drinks. They each "shouted" once and had one "on the house." No liquor was taken in the car.

Norman Meyers,, partner in the firm of Meyers Motors, owners of the <:a,r, gave evidence similar to that given at the inquest. Car Lent Previously

Cross-examined by Mr. O'Ljary, witness said that on a previous occiiaion he had lent Hooker a car to go to Porirua. i

Roy 1L Sherra.tr, motor engineer. «aid that he had. inspected the car a fortnight before the accident and had tilien adjusted the brakes. On the day of the accident he examined the car and found the foot-brake was functioning properly. Richard Collins, City Council traffic inspector, who examined the car after the accident, said that 25 per cent of the hand-brake lining was missing. In witness' opinion the brakes were inefficient.

A sitting of the Court waii held this afternoon at the Public Hospital to take the evidence of Miss Marjarie Morris, one of the passengers in the car.

Hooker pleaded not guilty and was committed to Hie Supreme Court for triaL