INQUEST OPENED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 493, 30 June 1932, Page 11

INQUEST OPENED.

Constable’s Son Killed in Accident. An inquest was opened this morning into the death of James Ivan Holmes, aged 19 years, and a son of Constable Holmes of Kaiapoi, who was killed as the result of an accident at the intersection of Colombo Street and Bealey Avenue on May 25. The inquest was adjourned until this afternoon. Arthur Ferguson, a tramway motorman. said that on May 25 last he was in charge of the Cranford Street tram, which was due at the Bealey Avenue and Gtolombo Street corner at 7.48 a.m. The Jim was on time. At the intersection he noticed a meat van approaching the Avenue up Colombo Street, travelling on its correct side at from 14 to Jo miles an hour. He did not hear the horn sounded. Witness also noticed a motor-cyclist travelling west along Bealey Avenue, on the south side, at about twenty miles an hour. The motor-cyclist seemed to be nearer to the trees than to the channel. The motor-cycle was pretty well back when the meat van reached Bealey Avenue. Neither vehicle gave way, with the result that they collided near the centre of the trees. The van struck the motor-cycle and went on \for about fifteen yards after the impact. The rider of the motor-cycle fell underneath the van but was not dragged along. To counsel for the driver of the van: There was nothing behind the van to prevent the motor-cycle going round it. The driver of the van seemed to stop as soon as he could after the accident. Ronald C. Denham, a printer, said lie saw the collision. Just before the impact the motor-cycle veered to its right and ran in front of the van. The left front wheel and the rear left wheel ran over the rider of the motor-cycle. Leonard Smythe, a cycle mechanic, another eye-witness, giving evidence this afternoon, said that the motorcyclist had been riding with one hand off t£e handle bars. Sergeant A. Leckie said that after the accident the van driver, George Neville, told witness that he had not seen the motor-cyclist under .the last minute and had used the words “ He came at me like a bird.” The driver said the motorcycle cut in front of him and was travelling at an excessive speed. (Proceeding.)