ACCIDENTAL DEATH

Waipa Post, Volume 37, Issue 2227, 27 October 1928, Page 5

ACCIDENTAL DEATH

THE MOTORING FATALITY. CONCLUSION OF INQUEST.'. '. • .• ',O The inquest concerning the deiath of Maurice Cecil Rhodes, who'died from’ injuries received in a motor accident on the : ‘Kihikihi-Ot'orohanga road oil fihe 19th inst., was concluded before. Mr G. A. Empson, district coroner, at the Te Awamutu Courthouse on Thursday afternoon.* Senior Constable Forsyth represented the police, and Mr James Oliphaht appeared for the driver 'of the vehicle, 8e11."... - Constable Shaw, of Kihikihi, gave evidence that about noon on Friday, 19th inst., he received a telephone message from Constable Forsyth, to the effect that a motor car accident had occurred on the Otorohanga main youth road, somewhere near the Puniu bridge, and that two men had been taken to Nurse Whyte’s private hospital, Te Awamutu. One, Maurice Rhodes, had since died. He immediately proceeded to the scene of the accident and there saw the car lying on its off-side and at the. right hand side of the road from the direction in which the car was proceeding, and in a dip over a vulvert about four feet lower than the crown of the road. The only person present was . Ernest Holmes, motor mechanic, who informed him that he had received instructions fo proceed to the scene and take possession of the car. Holmes then stated that, so far as he could see, the <jar was in perfect order. Shortly afterwards, ‘ Constables Forsyth and Hooker, of Te Awamutu, arrived on the scene, and immediately afterwards Mr James Oliphant, solicitor, accomoanied by Mr Bell, the driVe'r of the car. There were marks on the road indicating that the car had skidded. To the Coroner: He arrived at the scene of the accident about twenty minutes ‘after it occurred, but could not form any idea of what caused it. There were eight small pot holes in the road, which had recently been filled with shingle. There were marks on the road of the dar having skidded for a distance of ten feet. To Mr Oliphant: There were no signs, nor yet a smell of liquor on the driver. The Coroner said that he agreed with Constable Shaw, who had stated that he could n)ot account for the accident. Pedhaps it was that the driver had under-estimated the pace at which he was driving and may not have noticed his speed going down hill, where the pace might have been greater than he favoured. The road was perfectly safe, especially when othrr traffic was not being met- The skid would account for the accident, especially if the pace was greater than recgoned r The verdict would be that Maurice Cecil Rhodes was accidentally killed by the overturning of a car. Constable Forsyth: Do you exonerate the driver? The Coroner: Is that necessary? Mr Oliphant: You' have, stated that Rhodes was accidentally killed. The* Coroner: I am of the opinion that there was no culpable negligence, though the man may have made an error of judgment. I will leave it at that. Mr Oliphant: Bell instructed me to wire him the verdict,. Can I say : Accidental death, no culpable negligence?” The Coroner: Yes.-