THE HENLEY FATALITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18952, 28 August 1923, Page 3

THE HENLEY FATALITY.

CONCLUSION OF INQUEST. Yesterday afternoon Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., sitting as coroner, concluded the inquest on the death of William Skirving Christie, who was killed on August 19 while riding in the side-oar of a motor cycle driven by Alexander Ralston. The accioent occurred at Henley. The police were represented by Sub-in-spector Eccle*. Hugh M'Swan, labourer, Henley, said he was on a hillside, from which he had a good view of the road. He saw the motor cycle and side-car come along at a which he estimated at less than 15 miles per hour. Suddenly the machine seemed to collapse, and the two men were thrown forward. Witness went down to the scene of the accident, and found both men unconscious. He thought something had gontwrong with the machine and that it was not the speed that caused the accident. The road was in good order, and there was no traffic about at the time of the accident. Henry Woodgor, motor mechanic, said that he was standing on the Main road opposite the Henley Hotel at the time of the accident. He saw the cycle and sidecar approach from the south. When the vehicle passed him he thought it was travelling at from 30 to 35 miles per hour. There was no traffic about, and, under the circumstances, with a good road, the speed was not excessive. The engine seemed to be running well, but the machine had a decided list to one side. Hearing the engine stop after the vehicle had passed him, witness went along the road to the scene of the accident. The conclusion he came to after examining the machine was that, after passing the elevation in tho road near *,he bridge, the machine had increased itf **«t. The machine then skidded tne bottok the side-car striking the ground, anK isle speed caused the vehicle to turn over. He did not think the accident would have happened had the machine been in good order. The Coroner found that deceased died from shock following extensive injuries to the head, sustained thrlugh being acci. dentally thrown out of a motor cycle sidechair.

The driver of the cycle, A. Ralston, is still seriously ill in the Hospital, but his condition shows an improvement.