FATALITY ON BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21912, 22 September 1934, Page 13

FATALITY ON BRIDGE

MAN KNOCKED OFF LORRY EVIDENCE AT INQUEST CAUSE OF ACCIDENT The adjourned inquest into the death of Mr. Thomas Harrison, of Clarke Road, Papakurn, as the result of injuries received in an accident on the concrete bridge 011 the PapakuraOpaheke Iload on July 6, was held before Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., at Papakura yesterday. Sergeant Cowan represented the* police. Mr. Wallace appeared for tho relatives of deceased, Mr. Goldstine for H. E. McEntee, builder, of Papakura, driver of the lorry on which deceased was riding at the time of the accident, and Messrs. Meredith and Coates for insurance com pa n ies concerned. H. E. McEntee said that about 5.,'50 p.m. ho was driving the lorry from Opaheko to Papakura. With him in the cab was his brother, William McEntee, while on tho back of the vehicle was another brother, Charles James McEntee, and William Gunson, plumber. The party was returning home from tho day's work. Approaching the bridge, which was only wide enough to take one-way traffic, ho noticed a vehicle coming toward it from the other direction. Other Vehicle Enters Bridge When witness reached the bridge tho other vehicle was still some distance from the (jther end, so he drove 011, expecting that tho other vehicle would stop. When ho was about twothirds of the way across the bridge he realised that the other vehicle was continuing on. He pulled sharply to the left to avoid colliding with it. He felt a bump and heard a tearing noise, and William McEntee called out that an electric stove which was on tho back of the lorry had fallen off. Witness stopped the lorry a short distance beyond the bridge. Witness said he then found that Mr. Harrison had fallen off and was lying unconscious on the road between the lorry and the bridge. A doctor was summoned immediately, and later Mr. Harrison was taken to a private hospital at Papakura. He was removed to tho Auckland Hospital, where he died on July 19 from injuries received. Struck Side of Bridge

Witness said the lorry missed the other vehicle when he swerved, but struck the side of tho bridge. The lights of the other vehicle were dazzling, and he could not see whether it was a car or a lorry. It did not stop after the accident. There was a oneway sign at each approach to the bridge

William McEntee said he could not we what the other vehicle was. Charles McEntee said he heard the vehicle pass, hut was watching Mr Harrison at the time.

The position in which deceased was sitting on the hack of the lorry was described by W. Gunson. With the bump and resultant swerve, deceased was precipitated over the end of the lorry. Witness did not notice the other vehicle pass. He was struck by the stove and did not regain his senses until the lorry came to a stop. The driver of n milk lorry which arrived at the bridge soon .after the accident, Ernest John Ellis, also gave evidence. No Negligence by Driver Constable A. White gave details of the width and length of the bridge. He said the left side of the lorry was damaged by the collision with the bridge. There were no marks on the right side. A post in the bridge railing 14 feet from the Papakura end was cracked. A verdict that the death of Harrison was due to shock following injuries received in the accident, was returned by the coroner. "I am unable to see that the evidence discloses any degree of negligence on the part of the driver," the coroner added, "as I accept his evidence that he was called on suddenly to exhibit superhuman judgment and skill to avoid an accident that was precipitated through another vehicle entering on the bridge when he was two-thirds of the way across."