THE KAITOKE FATALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12197, 23 July 1925, Page 3

THE KAITOKE FATALITY

HOW MR EDWARDS WAS KILLED EVIDENCE AT CORONER’S INQUEST. Consequent upon the. motor . fatality which occurred near Upper Hutt late in the afternoon of July 13th, and resulted in the death of Herbert Edwards, a farmer'of Martinhorough, the j coroner s inquiry over the death of the unfortunate victim was held yesterday afternoon before the coroner, Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M. , ~ Evidence, was given by Hugh Mxnchin, contractor, and Herbert Charles Kaye, advertising agent, both residing at Martinborough, occupants of the car at the time of ■ the accident, to the effect that, in company with deceased-who was driving, they left Upper Hutt for Martinborough at 4.45 p.m. on July. 13th. The night was particularly dark and stormy, making visibility extremely difficult. The car was being driven at a very slow rate. When near Kaitoke, on the main Rimutaka. road, just at the'.commencement of the incline, the accident occurred. At this particular part _of . the road the old road, going to the . right, intersects with the new road- branching off to the left, and deceased in mistake followed the old approach straight to the bank of the Pakurataki stream, wjrfere, at this place, the depth was about, six feet. The bank at this spot is eight feet bigb, and upon the car crashing over it overturned, somersaulting over the bank, .and landing hood downwards in the stream. The vehicle was completely submerged in water as a result of the fall, but witnesses, were able to extricate themselves By bursting open the side screens Deceased, however, on account of his position in the driver’s seat, remained pinned underneath the car. All the occupants of the car were perfectly sober at the time of the accident. V Constable Wallace, stationed at Upper Hutt, also gave evidence regarding the locality of the accident. The verdict returned by the coroner, Mr W. G. Riddell. S.M., was to the. effect that. deceased met his death by drowning through accidentally driving a motor-car over a river bank near Kaitoke cn July 13th, and being pinned underneath. Whether there was a liability upon any local body was a question to-be decided, at another place. The coroner remarked that the fact of there not baying been a previous accident at this spot seemed to indicate that it was not a danger trap for motorists.