WAIMATE INQUEST HELD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21958, 9 May 1941, Page 3

WAIMATE INQUEST HELD

Death Of Soldier Makikihi Accident An inquest into the death of Private Leslie Alexander Watt, who was killed as the result of a motor accident on -ne main road near Makikihi on March was concluded before the District coroner (Mr d'A. S. L. Grut). Tne .erdict was that death was due to erebrai contusion complication oy ueumonla. Watt died in hospital on .aarch 26 without regaining consciousness. He was a single man, aged 22, .nd his parents reside in Invercargill, -re was returning to Burnham from rave spent in Waimate when the aocljent occurred. Sergeant D. B. Murray represented the police at the inquest. A statement made by George Alfred McKenzie, now serving overseas, who was a passenger in the car, was produced by Constable S. B. Holder. McKenzie stated that the car was travelling at 35 miles an hour, and pulled over in an attempt to pass a sheep .ruck. The right front wheel of the car left the bitumen and caught in the water table. The car kept pulling off the bitumen, although Watt, who was driving it, tried to ease it back cn to the road. When the car hit a power pole the collision made Watt unconscious. The truck driver did not pull up, neither did the truck following, although the drivers must have seen the car on the side of the road. A woman driving a car stopped in answer to his signal. Dr. T. W. Wylie said it appeared that Watt received his injuries by being forcibly thrown against the door of the car when it stopped suddenly. There was no sign of liquor on the patient. Constable Holder said that there was a skid mark 130 yards long at the scene of the accident. The force of the impact moved the top of the power pole four feet out of alignment. The accident occurred on a long straight stretch of bitumen road. Visibility had been good, even though it had been raining steadily at the time. Traffic Inspector J. Scptt, in a statement, said he was travelling towards Waimate from Makikihi on the afternoon of the accident and passed a rental car following a sheep truck, which was going in the opposite direction. The rental car was followed by three other trucks, and its speed was approximately 25 miles an hour. A few days later, in company with Constable Holder, he took measurements which showed that from the point where he passed the rental car to the place where the accident occurred was a distance of three-fifths of a mile. William Thomas Wood said he was driving the leading lorry in a line of four at 25 miles an hour. He saw skid marks on the right side of the road and then saw a car. It was facing Timaru and did not show any signs of damage. A man in uniform was standing beside the car and he did not attempt to stop witness, but stopped a car which was travelling a short distance behind him. It appeared as if the car had been pulled to the side of the road. Witness was certain a car did not pass him. It would not be possible for a car to pass him without his noticing it. FOOTBALL TEAMS The Makikihi team to play Southern at Waimate to-morrow is: D. Ponsonby, W. Hobbs, J. Slattery, J. Coles, J. Simmons, D. Coles, G. Vucetich, F. Carter, R. Barlow, J. Shea, F. Sole, E. Bishop, J. Bishop, L. Scott, S. Clearwater, D. Paterson, J. Breen and R. Coles. Cars will leave Makikihi at 2 p.m. The Southern senior team will be selected from the following: H. Lyall, W. Murphy, R: Lundin, A. Guy, J. Frost, R. Lundy, R. R. Laurenson, J. Newall, J. Bryce, H. Brice, Z. Milichich, C. Whatman, A. Patrick, E. Mcßae, C. Chamberlain, H. Allnutt, M. Cochrane, BASKETBALL The draw for to-morrow is as follows —First grade: Waimate A v. St. Patrick’s, at 2 p.m. (Referee, Joy Segar); Waimate B and High School byes. Second grade: St. Patrick’s v. Makikihi, at 2 p.m. (Miss D. Scott); Hook v. Huimai, at 2.45 p.m. (Miss Joy Segar); High School v. High School B (time arranged). The following have been selected to represent St. Patrick’s Club: A grade v. Waimate A, T. Ryder, A. Hannifin, M. Dash, N. Lyall, D. Morton, N. O’Brien, P. Shirley, K. Breen, J. Fitzharris. B grade v. Makikihi, M. Eathprne, K. Breslin, M. Hessell, M. Yesberg, R. Fogarty, M. Flynn, M. Shirley, N. Breen, T. Crowe. BAND OF HOPE A meeting of the Band of Hope was held in the Methodist Hall. It was unanimously decided to carry on through the winter months, commencing in June with the Salvation Army providing the programme. The following officers were elected: President, the Rev. S. G. Kent; vice-presidents, Professor J. Collie and Mr D. Dash; treasurer, Mr H. Blakie; secretary, Mr H. Blakie; pianiste, Mrs Dow. Mr Dash is to be asked to address the first meeting. PERSONAL The Misses A. and P. Hickey have left for Auckland.