JOHN J. DOYLE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 31 July 1924, Page 9

JOHN J. DOYLE.

INQUEST CONTINUED. The enquiry into the surrounding the death of John Joseph Doyle was continued to-day before the coroner, Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M. Norman Cl Innes, of Manaia, said he was on his way home from Hawera at about 6.40 p.m. on the night of July 23, when at the foot- of the Tokaona. hill he noticed a motor cycle and sidecar partly across the roadway. He stopped his motor, and on investigation found Doyle’s body lying face up beside the machine, which was in an upright- position on the edge of the tar-scaled portion of the road. The body was quite warm, but it was apparent to him that death had already occurred. The body was lying in such a position that it would be hidden by the machine from traffic- coming from the direction of Manaia. He then left the scene of the accident and went into Mr. Tippett’s house, where the police were telephoned for. When he returned to the body he found that the machine had been removed brothers present, and it was then that lie noticed that deceased’s head had been injured. There was a mark on the roadway where the cycle had run down, off the c-rown of the road on to the soft portion and had thefi taken n sharp turn to get back again on to the tar-seal Tt was -after this sharp turn that the accident appeared to have happened. From the- appearance of the- cycle and the roadway in the vicinity he would sav that no" collision with any other vehicle had occurred Tt was his opinion that deceased had been thrown off by the sharp turn of the cycle, which had then swung back on to him. Between Hawera and the place where he found the body he passed two motor cars coming in the direction of Hawera:, but that would be about threequarters of a. mile from the sc-ene- of the accident. He saw no car ahead of him and none passed him. He passed a- push cyclist near the Tokaora schpol coming in the direction of Hawera. 1

Francis P. Doyle, brother of deceased, questioned the witness and asked him how lie accounted for the body being on the right-hand side of the machine. His experience had been that when a. motor cycle and sidecar were turned sharply to the right the rider was thrown over the -sidecar.

The coroner pointed out that it would all depend on how the bike was being ridden, and •which way the rider was leaning.

In reply to a further question, witness said he did not notice any serious bend in the sidecar connection such as would be c-aused by a collision. In most cases of bikes and sidecars the cycles had a lean in towards the c-ar.s. TV illiam Rea, motor driver employed by the Egmont Tourist- Motor Co., said that on the run out to Manaia he deceased on the South Road near Nolan’s farm, riding in the- direction of Manaia. Doyle was travelling very slowly and on his correct side of the road, but his lamp was not burning On the return journev from Manaia witness noticed the- cycle and sidecar on the road where the accident occurred, and he had to swerve his car to the left to pass it. He was occupied at the time watching the 1 car ahead of him, and l;e did not notice anything wrong, although he thought at was a strange- position in which”to leave a cycle. About three parts of the way up the hill he passed the othei ca.i, and lie could say definitely that neither his car or the* car ahead °1 him struck the cycle. Between the top of the Tokaora- hill and the boiougli boundary lie only passed ' one othei car. He had noticed no one in tlie i iciuity (il the cycle as he passed. Herbert Hall, hairdresser, of Hawera who was a companion of the deceased, said he met Doyle- a little after 3 p.m. on the 23rd and remained in his company until about- 5.40 p m Doyle had been spoken to by the -police f.- about 5 p.m. relative to bis condition as to his sobriety, and warned 1,1,11 not to ride the cycle. Consequently witness remained with Doyle and rode with him in the sidecar‘to the .junction of Waihi Road and South Road, where lie thought deceased was quite capable of managing for himself Deceased had intimated that he intended attending a dance at Okaiawa that- night,. When witness left Doyle the light on the cycle was burning and the machine was giving no trouble in any direction. He would say that rider an cx P enen ced motor cycle Henry Steffert said that on July 93 be passed the Tokaora factory at about 6 3() p.m. irom the direction of Manaia. Theie was another ear coming behind hilT«W C h th f ! car I)assed him on the hill past the factory. He had to swerve to tiie left to pass a motor cycle and side-ear winch was on the rbad just over the bridge at the foot of the hill. Lie had plenty of warning that the bicycle was there, for his lights swung on to it when he was some distance -r.vrjl' ?-V' e no ]i S hts on the CAcle, and he did not notice anvone in t.ie vicinity He was certain 'he did not strike the cycle. He met two pedestrians, a push bike, and a motor car after he passed the scene of the accident.

William John Morris, a cousin of the deceased, said he left Hawera in his ear to return to his home after the departure of the mail train. When near -Mr Corrigan’s farm on the South road lie caught up to Doyle, who had pulled up his cycle owing to his light beiim out of order Witness assisted him to lix up his light, and remained with him tor about 20 minutes, and when he loft die light could only be described as a poor one. Doyle went on ahead, but later witness caught; no to him again, as his light had gone out the second time However, they put a match to the lamp, and the light- lit. Witness then left again, that being the last tune he saw Doyle. It would lie about b. 30 p m. when fie loft Doyle the last: time about hall a milo from the sc-mm m the accident. N Lloydl Williamson, of Tokaora. said be lelt Ins employer’s plaeo on the night or July 23 to come to Hawei’a TTo went Hi) the hill from the. bridge at about 0.30, anti after passing a motor ear . he passed a. motor evolc n few elmius behind the ear. There was rm light on the motor cycle, the rider of that machine keeping so much to the of the road. He heard the engine of the bike race, as though the rider was changing jgear. but the stroke of the engine got back to norma] again as the bike seemed to get back on to the road behind witness. Where witness passed the motor cycle would lie about 24 chains from the scene of the accident. W hen he passed l over the road at the foot of the hill there was no motor cycle standing on the roadway. Edwin Hodren said he was visiting bis brother-in-law. Mr Atkinson, at the lokaora factory, on the night of the f o-' " as stan ding at the gate at o—s p.m.. when he noticed a motor cycle travelling down the hill in the direction of Manaia. The cycle did not have a strong light, only a small flicker. He could not say whether the cvcle,had a side-car attached, as it was too dark. After passing him the cycle stopped

with the engine running, hut soon the engine gave a few splutters and then stopped. Shortly afterwards a car came down the hill, stopped, and then turned round, and came back to Mr Tippett's house. He thought there was something the matter, and so told his brother-in-law. (Left sitting.)