BOY CYCLIST'S DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21561, 4 August 1933, Page 12

BOY CYCLIST'S DEATH

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST COLLISION WITH CAR EXONERATION OF DRIVER [by telegraph —ow.v correspondent] THAMES, Thursday The inquest' into the death of Norman Samuel Johnson, aged 12 years, who was killed at Ngatea on July 22 through being struck by a motor-car with which tho bicycle ho was riding collided, was continued before tho district coroner, Mr. W. Bongard, this morning. Mr. C. J. Garland appeared for R. E. Workman, driver of tho car which struck deceased. Tho Rev. Sydney Ilindniarsh, Methodist minister at Ngatea, stated that at about 10.15 on tho morning of the accident he &aw several cars coming over the bridge travelling at about 15 to 25 miles an hour. Tho first car appeared to swerve apparently to avoid tho boy Johnson, who was riding a bicycle on his wrong side of the road. Tho chain had come* off the cycle and when de-ceased-looked up and saw the second car he crossed to get on to his correct side of the road. The driver of tho second car, in an endeavour to miss tho bov f sWerved sharply to the right, .continued witness. The front wheel of the cvclo struck- tho left front wheel of the car and deceased fell, striking his head on the hinge of the door. In witness' opinion there was no necessity for the cyclist to be on his wrong side. Except for tho chain being off tho boy had control of the cycle. To the coroner, witness said there was about 20ft. between the first and second cars.

Raymond George Flynn, farmer, of Turua, driver of the first car, said he saw deceased riding on the wrong side from about two chains ahead of the car. When the cyclist was about half a chain froiji him witness swerved and avoided him. He did not know there had been an accident until he heard the horn of the second car sounded. Corroborative evidence was given by Irene May Workman, wife of the driver of the second car, and Sydney Edward Workman, a passenger in the first car;? After evidence had been given by the driver of the second car, .Reginald Alexander Workman, farmer, of Netherton, the coroner gavo his verdict that death was accidental, resulting from Ixead injuries received through deceased colliding with a motor-car being driven through the Ngatea township. No blame was attachable to the driver of the car.