OPEN VERDICT RETURNED

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1930, Page 11

OPEN VERDICT RETURNED

DEATH FOLLOWS.. COLLISION INQUEST ON COBURN FATALITY. CONCLUSION OF THE EVIDENCE. - At the conclusion of the adjourned inquest on Saturday an open verdict was returned that Norman A. L. Coburn, Opunake, died from haemorrhage and laceration of the brain caused through a fracture of tho skull received when his car collided with another standing in Gill Street. Tho inquiry was presided over by Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., district coroner. Coburn died in the public hospital where ho was taken after the accident on the night of May 24. George Henry Vernori Simpson, salesmanager for Newton King, Ltd., was the Only ;additional witness called on Saturday. He said that the afternoon and evening of May 24 were, very - busy. .There was a very large number of motor cars in the town. His firm’s garage was crowded with them. About noon a car belonging to Eng, Aria, was brought to the garage. About 4.30, continued Simpson, he found about 20 motorists waiting to get their cars out of the garage. It seemed they all wanted them at once. Eng’s ear was parked in the lower part of the garage and in a position that blocked the exit of several others that were wanted. The switch key had been taken away so that the only way to move it was by pushing. With the assistance of some of the waiting motorists Simpson pushed the car out of the garage and across Gill Street and parked it close to tho kerb, where it remained till the. time of the accident. As-far as ho knew there were no lights on the car. Next /morning (Sunday), said Simpson, he and Mr. Sladden, surveyor, took measurement's on the roadways. These convinced him that the car had not been moved from tho position in which it had been parked. He was not at the garage at the time the accident occurred, and °all -he knew about the positions of tho cars was what he had been told. In answer to Mr. C. H. Weston, Simpson said the intention had been to put Eng’s car on the vacant section almost opposite the garage. Another car blocked the culvert leading to the section, how--ever, so Eng's car was parked in behind this.one. Simpson sajd h« had not switched on the car lights and as far as he could ascertain no one else on the staff had done so. Questioned by Mr. R. J. Brpkenshire Simpson said he understood Eng’s car was in for the afternoon only, and there would be no charge for garaging. No charge was made unless cars were left over-night. If there had been', no accident and the car had remained overnight a charge would have been made. When the car was put out on the street he & ive instructions that some of the ears that had been put out on tho street must be put back again. Eng’s car was one oi them. Ho had to explain to the at_ tendant'thai it would have to be pushed as there -was no key. At the time, of the accident there was no motor vehicle between Eng’s car and-the corner of Currie Street. To the coroner: Tho street light at the corner was the ordinary kind and throw a good light over the locality. He. could not say whether -the light was fixed higher than the usual street lamp.