AN INQUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1932, Page 6

AN INQUEST

FOLLOWING FATAL COLLISION. by 'telegraph. — l‘er bress Association) CHRISTCHURCH, March 16. Details o'f an accident in which Cecil Olive Middleton, single, aged 25, of New Brighton, lust his life, were inestigated by the 'Coroner. The accident happened in Woolstrjii ,t 16.25 p.m. on February 23rd. A motor cycle was ridden by Middleton and in a sideehair was a traffic inspector, b F. Mapper of lieathcote County Council. The machine overtook two pushcyclists, and a liter the brakes had been applied, struck one cycle. The motor cycle was overturned. Inspector Mapper and the rider of the cycle were unhurt. Sydney Virtue, -a cyclist, described the collision. Pie said that afterwards lie saw two men lying on the read, and one of them, Mapper, was bleeding at Ithe nose. Witness noticed a strong smell of liquor, when lie approached Middleton, who was writhing. He s aw a broken bottle of beer on the rood. It was a moonlight night, with clear visibility. Veronica Brooks, a machinist, gave evidence that Mapper smelt strongly of fjqtior. Site was standing quite dose to him. Hu was ub$ r |runk. George Frederick Ward, a labourer, also gave evidence. There was a smell of liquor from Nnpper. Edward Henry Condon, another witness, gave evidence that lie did not notice a smell of liquor from Mapper.