AMBULANCE CAR FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 63, 9 December 1918, Page 4

AMBULANCE CAR FATALITY

e ; CORONER'S INQUEST ON DEATH OP DIVER. j . Mr. W. G. Rieldell, S.M., hold an inquest on Saturday morning into tho cause of death of Dinnie Diver at the AY'elfington Hospital on November 9, after having''been struck by a hospital ambulance driven by Arthur, Sinclair, shortly after 3 o'clock, while ho (Diver) was crossing over Adelaide Road from the north corner of Drummond Street towards the Tramway Hotel. ■ Senior-Sergeant Creane conducted the inquiry, Mr. 31. Myers appeared for Sinclair, Mr. P. J. O'Regan for the relatives of the deceased, Mr. J. A. Tripe for the City Corporation, and Mr. W. 1. Ward for 'the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. James Diver, carter, Newtown, stated I that the deceased was his brother, and was a single man, 58 years of age, eraployed by the City Council, and had resided at 131 Adelaide Road. Motorman E. D. Croll stated that en the afternoon of November 9 he was driving Car No. 52 from Island Bay to the citv. The car was stopped at Drummond Street, the rear end of the car partly blocking Drummond Street. Witness 'saw the ambulance motor coming towards him on the line en which the tram stood. He thought it would strike tho tramcar/ but as it neared the tram, travelling at a high rate of speed, it 6worred off on to the outer rails. He estimated tho speed at 35 miles per hour. Immediately afterwards witness heard the alarm bell and then alighted from the tram, and for the first time saw deceased lying on the ground between the two sets of rails. There was, so far as he could see, no traffic at the time to prevent the ambulance proceeding straight along to the left. To Mr. Myers: It was not an easy matter to judge the speed of an approaching vehicle. ' ~.„,_ Leslie .Brriiigton, conductor of tho car driven by the previous witness, stated that tho-deceased was between the two sets of rail? when he was struck by the near side of the car. Deceased was knocked about three or f our yards, and the ambulance then continued on tor about 50 or 55 feet. To Mr. O'Regan: The collision occurred about ton yards to I ho rear of the tomcat. Deceased was going towards the Tramway Hotel. Witness saw no other vehicles on tho road. In answer to Senior-Sergeant Creano witness Mid" that he could not say how fast the ambulance was tawfMW « there was on v a moment between tae mnding of the alarm and the collision Mo toman Sidney I, Leoaarti. who waa riding to town on the tram, stated that to ambulance, travelling at what he consd red an excessive speed ewer™! in behind the tram and there struck the eceas d Witness cental the speed. of the ambulanco at about 35 miles an Myers: There were no obstructions on' tho road, but witness did not set, the movements of tho deceased Dr W D Fitzgerald, senior honso surK eoV at' tho Wellington Hospital, said that Diver's death was due to fracture of'the base of the skull. Mr Myers: Had tho deceased taken any alcohol '—"The man's breath was very bad and it-was impossible to toll." ' Witness considered it very unlikely that the ambulance, weighing about two tons, and carrying three passengers, could attain a speed of anything like id miles an hour on (!hat rise. Sinclair lo his personal knowledge, was a thoroughly expert mid reliable driver, 110 could not say.just how long Sinclair had worked during the preceding twentyfour hours, but at that time tho hospital drivers were doing the wholo cf the citys ambulance work. The influenza epidemic was in full swing. Nex'fc day tho driver himself was down. At thiß stago the inquest was adjourn-) od till this afternoon. D