CONFLICTING EVIDENCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17440, 11 December 1930, Page 11

CONFLICTING EVIDENCE

MOTORIST'S DEATH HUTT ROAD COLLISION (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day

An inquest concerning the death oi Alfred John KrnesL Wiggs, a retired civil servant, who lost bis life as a resuit of a collision on the tlutt road or> November 17, in which three cars were involved, opened to-day. Mr. .lorgensen, a member of the pari.? In Wiggs' car. gave evidence that there had been a dinner party at bis house. At dinner they had three half bottles oi sparkling burgundy between nine oi them, and after dinner, up to 10 o'clock, three bottles of beer. Wiggs had one small glass of burgundy at dinner, and witness thought one glass of beer. That was the only liquor Wiggs bad, and Wiggs was sober at the time of the swerve which preceded the collision. Witness was quite sure that Wiggs could not have been over the crown of the road, and when the collision happened was nob far from being on hts correct side. The ear had been following the correct side of the bitumen all the way.

Henry Bighorn, a passenger in Findbrier's car, said another car had passed them a, little before the collision occurred. The witness said they wine on the correct side, travelling at about 35 miles an hour. It was his opinion that the other car did not have any headlights burning. He saw no lights of any approaching ear. John Keith Walters gave evidence of passing an unlighted car. He said it was close to the edge of the bitumen on the wrong side, and to a ceil a collision he pulled sharply over to the wrong side. Soon after that the passengers in. Ihe back seat told him the ear had collided with another car. Witness returned and arrived on the scene just as the third car ran into Miss Fiudlater's car.

Donald McArthur and Francis Edward Westerly, passengers in Walters' car, gave similar evidence. The story of Norman Wallace, a passenger in Wdggs' car, was that he was taking particular notice of the driving. According to him their lights were going. Two cars approached close together. The front car wavered towards the sea on the wrong side, and. Wiggs' pulled up on to the crown of the road at the right to avoid it. and almost in the same movement swung back to the left to avoid the oilier car. It. was essential for Wiggs to pass tin. 1 first ear on the wrong side, and had (ho lirst car not gone to the wrong side Miss Find l latur'fi car would have pursued a straight course. The coroner, Mr. ,T. S. Barton, 5.. M., found that the deceased was .killed as the result of a collision between a motor car 'being driven by .him and one driven by Miss Anna Fiud'later.