Tram Driver Cleared At Inquest Into Accident*

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19036, 3 April 1930, Page 18

Tram Driver Cleared At Inquest Into Accident*

CYCLIST CUT ACROSS TO RIGHT, AND MET IN HEAD-ON COLLISION.

The adjourned inquest into the death of Leslie James Lange, aged twentynine. a married man with two children, residing at 60. Strickland Street, Sydenham. who was killed while cycling in Colombo Street shortly after noon m March IS, was resumed at the Police Station last evening, before the Coroner. Mr 11. P. La wry. Mr A. J. Malley represented deceased’s relatives, Mr W. J. Hunter -e----presented Motorman Phillips, and Mr J. D. Hutchison appeared for the Christchurch Tramway Board. Sergeant A. Leckie represented the police. William Arthur Phillips, motorman employed by the Christchurch Tramway Board, said that on March 18 he was motorman on a tram travelling north along Colombo Street. . When passing Smollett Street, pole 83, a cyclist came from behind a southbound tram, travelling at about the same speed as the south-bound car was going--IS to 20 miles an hour. The cyclist collided with his tramcar head on, breaking the headlight glass. The man was thrown clear towards the gutter. Witness applied the track brake and reversed the motors. When he got out of the car the body, was lying near the rear of the tram. He had pulled the tram up in less than its own length The conductor sent for the ambulance, and the injured man was tended by a woman who said she was a nurse. A doctor was sent for. Witness thought that deceased was on witness’s righthand side coming down and cut round the back of the south-bound car, which he was following, to turn into Smollett Street. To the Coroner: Deceased was not trying to overtake the car, but cut right in front of his car. Witness said that the cars usually passed either at that point or King Street. The cars were passing almost at. the time the man cut across, and

i there was no time to pull up or avoid - him in any way. Witness’s brakes . were in very good order. The accident - happened in a flash. i To Mr Hunter: He stopped at poic i 88, between Tennyson Street 'and J Devon Street, five poles back, which - was about five chains from where the accident, occurred. When approaching Smollett Street he had not reached - speed, and cut off power to pass Smollett Street. Deceased cut across his - car’s route at right angles. In reply r to a question by Mr Malley, Phillips said that he rang his bell l.e----i fore reaching Smollett Street. This - precaution was particularly observed at : 8 a.m., noon and o p.m., when there was : a large number of cyclists and much 1 other traffic on the road. ' Dr D. G. Orchard, house surgeon at • the Christchurch Hospital, said that • he was present when deceased was ; brought in after 12.30 p.m. lie was in - the ward at 1 p.m., and deceased was 1 deeply unconscious. He was suffering : severely from shock, and was bleeding ■ from the right ear and from the back - of the tliroat, and had bruises around - the right eye and over the right shou! ' der. The bleeding would indicate a 1 fracture of the skull. Witness gave the usual treatment, but deceased did not - ( regain consciousness, and died at five 1 minutes to 2 p.m. In witness's opinion ; death was due to shock and laceration - of the brain caused by a fracture of ’ the skull. The case was hopeless on admission. 1 Tudor Willoughby Ilungerford gave • evidence on lines similar to that of tne tram driver. In witness’s opinion the ; cyclist did not take proper precautions • to see what was coming in the opposite direction before turning to his right. The Coroner returned a verdict that : death was due to a collision with a tram. No blame was attachable to the driver.