THE LONGBURN TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1033, 20 April 1912, Page 3

THE LONGBURN TRAGEDY.

Palmerston, April 19

An inquest on the body of Percy Field, the victim of the Longburn motor accident, was opened before Mr A. D. Thomson, coroner and a jury this morning.

The first witness was Mr Downes, stationmaster, who was standing on the road with Field when the latter w> s knocked down. He stated that neither Field nor himself saw the car till it was within ten paces of them. Deceased jumped to one side and witness to the other, with the result that deceased was knocked down. Witness said the car had two lights, which were not very bright. He thought they were kerosene lamps. Deceased was carried about forty paces. Witness said the driver of the car informed him that the car was only going at a speed of ten miles an hour, but he bad replied that it appeared to be nearer thirty miles. Both witness and deceased were sober. Witness admitted that both had had twelve drinks each during the day, commencing with four at 10.30 a.m., three at dinner-time, three at 6.30, and two at 9.45. John WflliamJMilner, driver of the car, deposed that together with three others he was returning from Longburn and weut across the crossing at about four miles an hour and blew the horn. After passing two cyclists the car was doing between 8 and 12 miles an hour. The next thing he saw one man run into the car and another from it. Field ran into the car was knocked down and the body of the car went over him, but not the wheels. They came on the men so suddenly that he had no time to apply the brake before the car knocked Field down. Continuing, witness said they got out and went up to help deceased. He could not account for not seeing the man before the accident. The car party were perfectly sober. Further evidence was heard and the jury retired at 4.55 p.m. and arrived in Court at 5.10, with a verdict that deceased met his death as a result of a collision with a motor Ui ivcu by Milner and that every reasonable precaution was taken by the driver, no blame being attachable to anyone.