MOTOR CYCLIST’S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 19799, 24 February 1928, Page 5

MOTOR CYCLIST’S DEATH

INQUEST ON LAURENCE FILLINGHAM 'l’bis morning the inquest was continued in regard to the death of .Laurence Fillinglinm, who died in tho Public Hospital on February 16 as the result of his crashing into an ice cream van, which was crossing the Highway from Hanover street at about 7.45 that morning. The inquest was adjourned Item February 17 pending further inquiries hv tho police. Tho coroner was Mr H. AV. Bundle, S.M., and Sergeant Gilligan represented the police. Evidence was given by Constable Andrew 1). Buchanan, who stated that he visited the scene of tho accident about five hours afterwards, and with the assistance of one of tho, eyewitnesses (Mr Barton, jnn) ho sketched out a plan of tho locality. George William Brown, motor driver, employed by the Dunedin Ice Cream Company, stated that on the morning of the 16th ho was driving one of his company’s vans across the Main Highwas along Hanover street alter coming from AVard street. lie was travelling in second gear at about five to six niiles per hour. His view was obscured, and although bo beard tlie noise of a cycle he, did not see it until the van was half on the Highway. There was a tin fence at the left hand side of the road, and a concrete wall near the corner on the right. 11c saw two motor cycles about JOByds away coming towards town. One was travelling behind the other, about a chain apart. AA’itness slopped when he saw thorn coming, '.flic leading rider (deceased) was on his wrong side ,of the road, and tho second man was on the crown of tjie road. AA’itncss thought ho would let deceased go on that way. Tho riders were going at a. very high rate of speed, hut the back one seemed to bo pulling up. He estimated (he speed at between fifty and sixty miles per hour. The front cycle, ridden by deceased, swerved over to its correct side, apparently to lr> '"'d pass behind the van. AVitncss v second gear, so ho speeded np t I get, across and give him a ■ o get past. The rider apparen ged his mind and attempted to m front, and the next thing witness knew was that the blimp had taken place, the vehicle being then about 2yds from the southwest corner of tho intersection, as measured by the front wheel. The van was still moving when the cycle struck it. Feeling tho bump witness stopped. Ho get out of tbo van and saw deceased lying on the ground on top of his machine. Ho was unconscious, and with the assistance of others present witness put him in the van and conveyed him to tho hospital. Walter Rawlinson Spratt, motor body builder, of Ravonsbourno, said be knew deceased and occasionally rode with him. On the morning of the IGth he was proceeding to work by cycle, and bo first saw deceased when be passed him at about Logan Point Quarry, and when they approached tho Exhibition site ho was about 100yds ahead. Deceased bent down over bis machine apparently to try and adjust bis boot or possibly bis engine, and a that time slowed down to such an extent that witness passed him and proceeded up the Highway at about twenty-five miles per hour until about 400yds from the Hanover street crossing. Then deceased passed him. AA'itness thought he was travelling at about forty-five to fifty miles per hour on his wrong side. AVitncss was a little to tho left of tho crown of the road. Deceased rose from his saddle and put on the brake about 70yds or 100yds from tho crossing. Tho van was at that time coming on to the Highway. Nearly every morning the riders met tho ice cream vans coming up Hanover street, and they usually turned into the Highway and went south to St. Andrew street. Deceased kept on his wrong side apparently to pass tho van on the right hand side as it turned down the Highway (as he possibly expected it to do). AVitncss was nearly up to the crossing when lie saw tbo van coming across. Deceased swerved to his correct side, seemingly thinking that as the van was going across he could get round the back of it. Then be went back to the centre of tho road and went straight for the van, striking the right hand backwheel. He could not tell the speed at which the van was travelling. The inquest was adjourned until this afternoon.