THE INQUEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10361, 5 September 1922, Page 2

THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held in the Timaru Courthouse at 4 o'clock yescerday afternoon, before Mr E. D. Mosley, District Coroner. Mr M. J. O'Brien appeared for the relatives, and Mr Campbell to watch the proceedings on benalf of the driver of the car.

Senior Sergeant Fahey called the following evidence: — Maurice Lynch, sworn, deposed: I reside at Seadown with my parents. I remember Saturday last, 2nd September. On that date I was at home and saw my father, now deceased, and identify the body now at the morgue at his. Last saw the deceased alive between 2 and halfpast 2, when he was at home. He was then in good health. There are eleven in the family. My father was a labourer, and about 5S years of age. William Lynch, residing at Seadown, deposed: The deceased, John Lynch, was my brother. On Saturday evening, 2nd September, Nsaw the deceased about a quarter or twenty minutes past six at the junction of the Temuka and Arowhenua roads. He was then in the best of health. He rode away from me on his bicycle. We had a conversation lasting seven or eight minutes. He was going south on the main road. After seeing him went straight home; did not see a motor car on the road. To the Coroner: When I left ray brother he was quite sober. Had been with him at the Arowhenua Hotel that afternoon. I believe 1 saw him have three" drinks of "shandy." Went with him to the Arowhenua Hotel; wo arrived there close on six o'clock. My brother had had a half holiday, and I joined him about four o'clock. He then showed not the slightest- sign of having had any drink. Three drinks would not have the' slightest effect on him. We had ridden on bicycles from Temuka to the Arowhenua Hotel. When he left me he could see a good'way ahead of him; it was not dark at that time. When we parted at Arowhenua 1 do not think it was raining.. To Mr Campbell: There was no need for a lamp, and I don't think my brother had one. James Francis Molloy, solicitor, deposed: On Saturday, 2nd Septemjber, I went to Toniuka with Messrs Barker and Pratt in a motor car. We left about 3.30 p.m. Wc pulled up at the Empire Hotel, Temuka. which Mr Pratt was arranging to take over. We remained at the hotel for about 15 minutes. Wo | left Temuka to come back to Timaru I between 5 and 10 minutes past 6. We had about five drinks in Temuka. I had three "pony shandies" at first and then two sarsaparillas. I think my companions had similar drinks. We were all absolutely sober when wo. left Temuka. Mr Pratt was driving the car. All went well until the dip in the road, about a quarter of a mile past Fitzgerald's. I then heard Mr Barker call "Look out." I was sitting in the centre on the i front seat of tho car. With that I ; flaw a figure lauding in front of the j oonnet of the car. I then felt a i bump. The left wheel of the car | went over the man. The whole i thing happened in a second or so— \ simultaneously. When the car! struck tho man it was travelling on j the extreme left of the road. There !

! was a slight drizzle. Am certain j that we were not travelling on tin.' ; metalled road. After w c got clear I of the deceased we travelled from 10 ] to IS yards. We pulled up im- ; mediately. I asked the man if he ! was hurl but he was practically uni conscious and made no response. ; We took him straight to the hosj pital. We wore travelling verv I slowly when the car struck deceased: [not. more than 20 miles an hour. j Wo had lights on our car, but they. j wor ( > not extra brilliant. We could ! eee, roughly, about 20 or .'lO yards ahead of the car. Cannot not say why I did not see the deceased on his bicycle: possibly it was because-* thero was a slight drizzle. The three of us were talking. Deceased was going in the same direction as ourselves. We wore on the clay road, and went on to the clay road after crossing the dip. We did not I move the car back after it was stopped after the accident. The brakes were put on immediately. .Mr Pratt may have seeu the deeeas- j e-d; 1 did not. Did mil hear any glass break. The place when: Mi" glass was broken mid when. d<ceased was picked up were practically the same. To Mr O'Hvicn: Could no! say

X£,ctly Avhat the wind screen was ike; should say Mr Pratt was lookng through the screen. To the Coroner: I do not consider he liciuor we had consumed would tffect a man's ability to drive. The iccident happened about 20 minutes )ast six o'clock. William C. Barker, insurance igent, sworn, deposed: About 3.30 3.111. on Saturday last, accompanied ;he last witness and Mr Pratt to Tenuka in a motor car. Pulled up at the Empire Hotel. Was at tho hotel anly a few minutes and left Messrs Pratt and Molloy there. They callad for me shortly before six o'clock. Went with them to the Empire Hotel and got the car. Had one drink when we arrived, and just before leaving we had one drink each. There was a sort of a drizzle at the dme. The roads were not slippery. We travelled on the left side of the road. Ws did not stop at the Arowhenua Hotel and everything went -rr«ll until about from 150 to 200 yards past the bad dip on the Timaru side. We kept on the near or left side of the metalled road after crossing the dip. I was sitting on' the left Jiaa'd of the car; and all of a sudden an object appeared in front of the car; I could see itwas a man on a bicycle. I "said "Look out." The man on the bicycle was very close to us at that time. It seemed to me when I first saw the object that it was going at an angle towards the left, and wag about 15 feet away.\ When I first saw it the object was in front of the right wheel. I think the track we pursued that night was about six or seven feet from the grass. The car was pulled up about 15 yards from where the man was struck; After the car was stopped, Mr Pratt backed the car close to where the man was lying, within a few feet. When the car was stopped it was on the metalled road. I presume . the brakes were put on. . The man ca,me I on to the bonnet, fell down, and the I car went over him. The car went I about 16 or .17 yards after the impact; could not say definitely. Our, speed was about 20 miles an hour. ! There was a slight drizzle, but not enough to obscure the vision. It, was the early dark f)art of the evening. The time, I think, was about G. 30, but am not certain. There were lights on the car, but not very bright. I think we could see about a chain ahead at the time but am not certain. The screen was all right. I was keeping" a good look out myself. Mr Molloy had made a remark a few moments before that we were not breaking any speed liniits that night. If I had been driving when I first saw the object I do not think the accident could have been avoided. I spoke to the deceased after he was picked up, but he did not answer. We got him to the hospital as quickly as possible. To the Coroner: If the man had been riding in front of the car the driver should have seen •him 15 to 20 yards away, and I should think that the driver could have pulled up the car in time to avoid the accident if he had seen him. When w e went back to deceased he was lying on the metalled road with his feet toward the grass. Dr. Parr, Resident Medical Officer at the Timaru Hospital, deposed: On Saturday evening, 2nd Septem- | ber, the deceased was brought trrtht; hospital about 7.30. Saw deceased in tho car and thought he breathed. He was practically dead. We took him into the ward and found that ho was dead. Examined the body; there were no bruises, but two or three ribs were dislocated and pushed into the chest. The injury war, most likely caused by a crushing of the chest, and the crushing of the chest would result in such internal injuries as would cause death. The injuries were perfectly consistent with a motor car having gone overdeceased.

At this stage, 6.25 p.m., the Court was adjourned until 7.45 p.m. On resuming the evidence of Sergeant Dwan and Mr Alfred Albert Pratt was taken. ' Mr Pratt's evidence was in the main similar to that given by Messrs Molloy and Barker. Sergeant Dwan gave evidence as to measurements. The Coroner returned a verdict that the death of deceased was due to crushing of the chest resulting in internal injuries, the crushing being caused by deceased being run over by a motor car driven by Alfred Pratt en the 2nd September. 1P22. on the Timaru-Temuka road. The Coroner said lie had no evidence before him o'f any negligence on the part of the driver. It was one of those inexplicable accidents. The men were keeping a good look out and the deceased was not seen until he was on the bonnet of the car.