Coroner's Verdict On Fatal Midget Car Smash

Chronicle (Levin), 24 March 1949, Page 6

Coroner's Verdict On Fatal Midget Car Smash

Press Association)

(Per

AUCKLAND, March 23. "According to the evidence this race was run without foul or unfair tacties, " said the Coroner (Mr. A. Addison) at an inquest into the death of Brnest Harper Maber, aged 29, singie, a motor mechpnie. Maber was kilJLed when a midget car he. was driving at Western Springs .on the night of -January 15 collided with another car, rolled over and eame to rest upside doyvn. "The eollision was not caused through a mechanical defect or lack of supervision, ' ' continued the Coroner. ' ' Overtaking on the left is permitted under the existing rules for niidget raeing and it is a natural hazard for "midget raeing drivers. ' ' Evidence was given that deceased. with eight other eompetitors, took part in a race of fonr laps. During the "last lap deceased started to corner at Pine Tree corner and was closely followed bya car driven by P. Zainey. v The car driven by Zainey attempted to overtake deceased 's car on the left. The two cars then collided and moved up the concrete wall. Deceased 7s car struck the railing at the top of the wall and rolled over. A verdict that deceased died in the Auckland Hospital and that the eause of his death was a fractured slcull and injury to the brain accidentally sus-; tained at Western Springs Stadiuw when the car he was driving was strue.it by the car of another cotapetitor, ' was returned.