BUS HITS POST.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19164, 22 November 1927, Page 14

BUS HITS POST.

HUTT ROAD TRAGEDY. AN OPEN VERDICT. (press association txleoram.) WELLINGTON, November 21. An inquest was held to-day into the death of Mrs Annie Eleanor "Watson, a widow, of Kelburn, who met her death on Octol»er 17th as a result of a motor bus, driven by John O'Callaghan, leaving the Hutt road bitumen track and colliding with a telegraph post. The Coroner was Mr W. G. lliddell. The evidence showed that the ba» travelled i'or 10S feet between leaving tiie bitumen track and colliding with the post, and -IS feet after the impact Mrs £. Cousins, a passenger <n the bus, said no complaint could be made of the driving. The driver neither talked to passengers nor smoked. Mrs M. P. Henderson said that just before the accident the driver stooped down to pick up a roll of tickets that had fallen. Her statement, however, wont uncorroborated. Motor mechanics gave evidence of having examined the bus and found the steering gear in good order. A patrol constable said there, were no signs of the brakes having been applied between the time of leaving the bitumen ard striking the p'St. The driver, when spoken to after the accident, was perfectly normal. He said the wheel slipped out of his hand. He did not complain about having had any illness. John O'Callaghan, driver of the bus, said he could give no explanation of how the smash occurred. He had held a license to drive since September, 1926. but in May last went to a sanatorium for ten weeks and resumed work on October 14th, three days before the accident. Fie would take turns in the head for a second or two, but would not faint. Before the smash he was all right. He did not know that the bus had left the bitumen. Concerning his head turns a doctor had told him they were caused by fluid on the lungs. Witness said his eyesight was good. He never told his employers about tho head turns. Medical evidence was given that on the day in question O'Callaghan was not physically fit to be driving the bus, as he was subject to turns which would last for a few seconds. The Coroner delivered, an open verdict. Had medical evidence not shown O'Callaghan was subject to turns it looked as if the bus had been negligently driven. The accident was mostextraordinary. He found that deceased died as a result of injuries received through a bus in which she was riding, driven by John O'Callaghan, coming into collision with a telegraph pole on the Hutt road on October 17th. "The question as to whether the driver was guilty of negligence can he tested in another place." he said.