FATAL ACCIDENT AT MOTUEKA.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14165, 16 August 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

FATAL ACCIDENT AT MOTUEKA.

- «o> • . . MAN RUN OVER BY-MOTOR CAR

(From "Tlie Colonist," Augusts,) The sergeant of police last night received word from Constable- Pidgeon, of Motueka, that- a fatal accident occurred iat 5.50 p.m. on the Motueka town boundary on the Mautere side of the- town. "The mail car from Nelson, driven by John Leahy, met a man named Frank Smith, walking towards Moutere. Smith was walking and pushing a bicycle. The car is stated to have been on its proper side of the road, and the lamps were lighted. Smith appeared to waver and get in the way of the car, which ran over him, and when he Avas picked np it was found -that his neck was broken. Smith wtas a single man, 30, years of ago, and lived with his parents at Lower Moutere. He is stated to have been deaf. Smith was at- one time a member of the Nelson Rifles. August, 4 The death of Francis Arthur Smith, of tlie Moutere, was inquired into at an inquest held by Mr J. S. Evans/Coroner, at Motueka yesterday. The evidence showed that Snath was walking home from Motueka"on Tuesday evening and was wheeling a bicycle. The mail car from Nelson to Motueka met him near the blacksmith's shop outside the boundary of Motueka shortly before 6 o'clock. Smith.was in the middle of the road. The driver of the car saw him and turned to his proper .side. Smith 'appeared to turn first to. the right and then to the left, and witnesses said that he then lurched forward and fell in front of the car, which went over him. It was stated in evidence that: when he left Motueka he was under the influence of liquor. He died from fracture of the base of the skull. The verdict was that Smith was : killed as the result' of a collision with a motor car, and that no blame was attachable to the driver of the car.