MOTORCAR OVERTURNS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1926, Page 7

MOTORCAR OVERTURNS.

DEATH OF MR. H. PETTY. EVIDENCE OF SKIDDING. VERDICT AT THE INQUEST. "That deceased died at the New Plymouth Hospital on August 26 from shock following injuries sustained in the overturning of a motor-car driven by himself,” was the verdict returned yesterday at the inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Herbert Petty, of New Plymouth. No rider or comment was added by the coroner, Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M. Sergeant Martin conducted the inquiry, and Mr. T. P. Anderson watched the proceedings on behalf of the relatives of the deceased. Evidence as to deceased’s injuries was given by Dr. Wilson, house surgeon at the New Plymouth Hospital, who stated that the deceased was admitted to hospital at 8.40 p.m. deeply unconscious and bleeding from both cars and nose. He had a bruising of the right eye and head on the right side, and a lacerated wound over the right shoulder blade. AH possible treatment was given, but he died at 11.45 p.m. without regaining. consciousness. The cause-of death was shock following injuries? EVIDENCE OF EYE-WITNESS. William Harry Adlam, farmer, residing on the Carrington Road, said that he was returning from a football match at Stratford along the Mountain Road at about 30 miles an hour on the good stretches of road. Just as he was approaching a slight slope near Tariki deceased passed him in his car. Deceased continued on for a distance of about two chains along the right side of the road, when suddenly he appeared to move across the road to the left. Just as suddenly he turned sharply to the right again, and the back of his car seemed to “throw right up,” though it was not exactly a somersault. The car turned completely over and settled on its wheels again broadside across the road. Witness swerved to the right in order to pass, and stopped his car as soon as he could, going to the assistance of those in the car. One of the occu-* pants of the ear was doing his best to help. Deceased was at that time lying on his side with his feet in the ear. Witness helped to pull deceased out on to the road, the latter appearing to be quite unconscious and to be bleeding profusely from the ears and mouth or nose. Witness went to the Tariki Hotel immediately, and asked the man behind the bar to ring up for a doctor. He then returned to the scene of the accident. FORTY MILES AN HOUR. Witness estimated that he was travelling at about 30 miles an hour when deceased passed him, the latter going at about 40 miles an hour and passing him smartly. Witness did not see the actual skid, and thought deceased had got past all right, until the car suddenly swayed and went over. He thought the deceased’s car had balloon or semi-bal-loon tyres on the rear wheels, but would not be sure. He knew that- the road was metalled and dry at the time, but he did not think it was tar-sealed. The left wheels of deceased’s car were never off the road, and the right wheels travelled for two chains along the loose metal at the right side of the road, though they were never right off to the side into the clay. Witness had had a little experience at driving a car with two other persons alongside him in the front seat, but did not remember having had to pass another car under such circumstances. William Norman John Roberts, postal employee, of New Plymouth, who was a passenger in deceased’s motor-car, said that there were seven people in the car altogether, two of; them being women. The two women were in the front seat with the deceased, who was absolutely sober. Describing the accident, witness said that when an endeavour was being made to regain the centre of the road after passing Adlam’s car, the back wheels skidded to the right, and the car appeared to take a dive. Deceased was able to bring it on to the centre of the road, but the wheels took another skid to the left, the car slewing round and capsizing over on to its left side. Witness was dazed, and did not remember anything aftei' that. He was sitting in the back scat and could not nay ■what the speed was, but he thought it was reasonable. A verdict was returned by the coroner as stated.