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£58,000 INSURANCE

BANK CLERK'S DEATH QUESTIONS AT INQUEST PREMIUMS EXCEED SALARY OPEN VERDICT RETURNED [from ot;h own correspondent] MELBOURNE, Dec. 31 A bank clerk, who was plunged to his death when hie car crashed through the Short Road ferry, Williamstown, and sank in the Yarra River on the night of December 9, was insured for £'58,000. I his was revealed at the inrpiest, at which counsel for six assurance companies cross-examined witnesses. The coroner, Mr. Tingate, recorded an open finding The victim was Alan George Gourlay, aged 2 ( J years, of Prahran. He was married six years ago, and left a widow and a daughter aged 2\ years. Evidence was given that the amount he paid in insurance premiums exceeded his salary. The coroner said:—"l have heard a lot of evidence and I have inspected the spot where the accident occurred, and I do question the adequacy of the warning notices erected there. It is not the man who is up and down there continually, but the person who goes only occasionally, who needs guidance. I am unable to give an opinion about the state gf mind of Gourlay just before his car plunged into the river. There is no sign that this man put on any brakes or made any attempt to stop." Statement by the Widow .Mrs. Louisa Alinia Gourlay, the widow, said that she and her husband were on the happiest terms. He was a devoted husband and father and a wonderful son. He was of a bright, optimistic nature, and, as far as she knew, had no financial worries. On the day of his death he arrived home about 5 p.m. and took their daughter to play in a near by park. Later they had tea and her husband changed into old clothes to water the garden. Then lie said, "I am going to Williamstown. I shan't be long." He drove away in the car, and she remarked that she would wait up for him. Mrs. Gourlay said that she knew that he was goinn to Williamstown to tee about a house which he intended to buy. He had said that when there was an airport in the district property at Williamstown would increase in value. The Result of a Dream Continuing, Mrs. Gourlay said: "When the aeroplane Miss- Hobart was lost in Bass Strait in October, 1934, my husband's father was killed. In May and June this year I was on holiday in Western Australia. While there I received a letter from my husband in which he said that he had had a dream in which his father appeared and said to him, 'Everything is all right, son,' My husband shortly afterward said that he had taken out substantial assurance policies as a result of his dream as his father had not been assured and because of this provision had not been made for his mother. "My husband added that if anything should happen to him there would be good provision for my daughter and myself. He said that life assurance was the best form of investment. I said, 'Don't bite off more than you can chew,' meaning that he should not take on more premiums than he could pay for. He explained that at the end of two years he could surrender his policies and take up paid-up policieSj and that there was no chance of his loeing his money."

Successes at Betting Asked by Mr. E. G. Coppel (representing two assurance companies), ■whether her husband had any source of income apart from his salary as a bank clerk. Mrs. Gourlay replied: "I know he used to do something with regard to shares and with regard to horses." Mr. Coppel: He used to bet en horses ? —Yes. Was he a successful punter?— Yes, very. He only bet in a very big way when he had a certainty. He did not keep betting. Answering further questions, Mrs. Gourlay said that, her husband's banking account for betting purposes was kept in the name of Miss Robertson, who received substantial beuefits under his will, which was kept in an iron deed box at the Commercial Bank, South Melbourne. Miss Robertson was a nurse.

Satisfactory Bank Officer William Francis Gambetta, bank manager, said that Gourlay was a satisfactory officer and all his books were in order. Answering Mr. E. Gorman, K.C., representing several assurance companies, Gambetta said that Gourlay was receiving £'3lo a year. Mr. O Bryan, who appeared for the widow, objected to the form of Mr. Gorman's questions about cheque's which had been cashed for Gourlay at the bank. "Mr., Gorman comes here to pick iip anything he can in aji attempt by his companies to bring another action and use the«-:e proceedings for an entirely different purpose.said Mr. O Bryan. Mr. Gorman: Gourlay was insured for £uS.OOO. He was receiving a salary of £3OO or so a year, and his premiums camo to £360 a year. He was also involved in other heavy expenses. This might supply some motive. Evidence was given that a man, thought to have been Gourlay, inspected a house at \Y illiamstown on December 3. He had said that he would visit the Jiouse again but he did not arrive. Car's Plunge Into River Eye-witnesses of the scene at th«" ferry, when Gourlay's car plunged into the river, said that the localitv was not overlighted. The car was travelling at about 30 miles an hour and there was no abatement of speed. A man who was on the ferry said that he had had to jump clear to save his life. A diver said that he discovered the car on all four wheels. A man's feet were protruding from the window. It appeared that the man had tried to back out of the car through the window. Evidence was also given that the car was in good running order, but that the brakes were about 50 per cent below normal efficiency for a car of its type. •

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19370106.2.114

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 11

Word Count
996

£58,000 INSURANCE New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 11

£58,000 INSURANCE New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 11

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