CORONER’S COMMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19658, 19 August 1935, Page 7

CORONER’S COMMENTS

FATAL MOTOR ACCIDENT. DISGRACEFUL CONDITION OF ROAD (Special to Times.) PUTARURU, Monday. Tiie disgraceful condition of !he Putaruru-Tapapa road was vigorously commented upon by Mr 11. K. McDermott as coroner, at the adjourned inquest at Putaruru into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Ernost William Jupp, aged 23, who died as. the result of injuries received when ills motor-car capsized over a hank along this particular stretch of highway. In finding that the deceased had died as a result of internal haemorrhage caused through being crushed by an overturning car, tiic coroner /considered that John Clarence Martin, the driver of a truck met by deceased on a corner, was in no way to blame.

The road upon which the accident occurred, ‘Said Mr McDermott, was a disgrace as a main highway. He suggested that the police should bring its dangerous condition under the notice of the Minister of Transport when submitting their report. Its dangerous nature was evident when it was remembered that in its fourmile lenglii there were no fewer than ten dangerous corners as well as two had approaches to bridges. Mr ,1- G. Marlin, n motor-lorry driver employed by Messrs G. li. Marlin, Limited, carriers, Putaruru, stated in evidence that at a sharp bend on the road, when lie was travelling at about 20 miles an hour on liis correct side tic met a. car travelling in 1 lie opposite direction. The ear swerved to the left and as lie passed it ho looked back and saw (lie ear go over a bank. That the accident was due entirely to the speed at which Ihc deceased was travelling was lhe opinion of Redgar Masker, a farmer who was working in a milking shed about 50 yards from the scene of the accident. Constable T. .1. Colter, of Putaruru, staled that skid marks showed that deceased hull swerved lo the. left on reaching Ihc corner and had travelled straight out to the left-hand bank. Although the ear had evidently been straightened up, it had tipped and rolled over when travelling on the extreme left of I lie road.