DOUBLE MOTOR FATALITY

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1930, Page 11

DOUBLE MOTOR FATALITY

MECHANICAL DEFECT IN CAR

WORK DONE ON AFFECTED PART.

NGAHAURANGA CRASH INQUEST. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The inquest into the death of Mr. and Mrs. Norman W. Cook, who were killed when their motor-car after colliding with another fell into a creek below the Ngahauranga Gorge road on the afternoon of April 13, wao resumed to-day and adjourned till Thursday. A mechanical defect in the steering gear was disclosed. '■ .Alfred Edward Storey, driver of the car which collided with that driven by Cook, was passing another car when he saw .Cook’s car approaching round a bend. .Cook’s ..car was then only ;a few yards, ahead and had not previously been in view. Cook was on hjs right side of the road and looked as if he had plenty of room to pass Storey, who was in the middle of the road. The impact of the two cars was not severe and Storey stopped immediately. When Storey alighted Cook’s car had fallen over the bank. Storey had been driving for 18 years. George Rigyard, motor mechanic, said tliat when Cook’s car was recovered it was found the steering gear was jammed to a right-hand lock. Examination showed this to be due to a mechanical defect. It appeared to have been caused by a blow. It appeared someone had been working on the affected part before the accident. The car could have been driven straight forward, despite that damage, but could not have been turned to the left.