RECENT FATAL COLLISION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2458, 25 July 1922, Page 2

RECENT FATAL COLLISION.

CORONIAL INQUIRY. A coronial inquiry into the eir-"4*r-oumstances surrounding the death of Bertram William Spelman, adjourned from last Monday, was continued in the Court House yesterday before Mr A. Frazer, coroner. Mr Bergin watched proceedings on behalf of Irwin Cecil Wright. Sergt. Manly, of Palmerston N., represented the police. Formal evidence as to the condition of ihe body when examined was given by Dr. Wyllie.

Thomas Charles Robertson, labourer, residing in Union Street, Foxton, in evidence said that he saw deceased on the day of his death at about 5.45 p.m. Deceased was then with a man named Collins. Witness had a drink with deceased previous to this in the afternoon at the Post Office Hotel. Witness last saw deceased at the Manawatu Hotel at about 5.30 p.m. He appeared to be sober then. Victor Betty deposed that he knew deceased. He saw him about 5.45 p.m. on the 15th in the Manawatu Hotel. Witness was leaving the Hotel at the time and deceased was going in. Deceased invited witness to have a drink but he dedined. Deceased was “merry” but not drunk. Witness saw deceased again at about 6.30 p.m. on the road in front of Mr Rout’s house, Avenue Road, on a motor bike. Witness saw a man who he took to be McPherson standing at the regr of the bike. McPherson was giving deceased a “shove off.” The bike did not start while witness was there. That was the last witness saw of deceased. Herbert Dixon Mclver, son of the licensee of.the Manawatu Hotel, Foxton, stated that he knew deceased by sight. He last saw him alive about 5.45 p.m. on the 16th July. He was then standing in the passage-way of the Manawatu Hotel by himself. To witness’ knowledge lie was not supplied with any liquor. He appeared sober at the time. William Hodgkinson, barman, employed at the Manawatu Hotel, said he was serving in the bar on the 15th inst. all day. Witness did not know deceased but he remembered , seeing him in the hotel about 3 p.m, on the day in question. Witness supplied deceased with a brandy and soda. Witness did not supply deceased with any more liquor that he remembered of. He did not remember seeing- Spelman in the hotel again. Witness was the only barman employed. That was the l&wSw* time he saw Spelman alive. Wit-” ness had been in Foxton only six weeks and did not see deceased prior to the Saturday afternoon. To Mr Bergin: Mclver, junr., was assisting in the bar between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Witness was the only one supplying liquor. George Walls, labourer, said he went to the Manawatu Hotel about 5.15 p.m. on the day in question and left again about ten to six. Witness knew deceased. He saw him iu the hotel that day by himself. He did not see deceased have a drink. Deceased was leaning against the wall and he could not tell as to what his condition was as regards sobriety. Witness did not speak to deceased. When witness left the hotel deceased was standing on the footpath outside the hotel. Deceased appeared to have had some liquor but he was not drunk. That was the last time witness saw deceased. _ George Ross McPherson, pipe Inver, residing in Avenue Road. Foxton, deposed that he met Spelman at the cQyner of the Manawatu Hotel at about five minutes past six on the 15th. He did not know deceased previous to that. Deceased caught up to him as he going home and asked witness where > lie was going. ..Deceased was then walking. In the course of conversation deceased told witness his name was Spelnsan. Deceased invited him across.,,, the road to see his motor bike. The bike was in the water channel leaning against a telegraph post. Deceased asked witness to give him a push on to the road, which he did. Witness advised deceased to light his lamp but deceased said he had none but was quite safe and that lie was only going to Motuiti, eoming back and then going to the bench. Deceased started the bike and went off in the direction of Motuiti. That was the last witness saw of deceased. Spelman appeared to witness to have had a few drinks but was not drank. He appeared to be fit to handle the bike in a, capable mgnner. It was then quite dark, being about 6.30.

James Patrick Collins, labourer, residing at Ivopntaron, said he knew deceased. He saw him at the Manawatu. Hotel,. at about 5 o’clock on the 15th. He had a drink with deceased. Spelman had a long shandy. Both had another drink in the same hotel about half an hour later. Both had medium shandies. They stood talking together for a few minutes after that and then witness left deceased, the time being about 5.30. Deceased appeared sober and one could not notice that he had had liquor. To Mr, Bergin : I met deceased previous to this at the windmill at about 2 o’clock that-aflernopm Deceased was coming from town, They did not stop together.- ■'■■■•.< •»- Ernest Howan, butcher,- residing or, the Foxtqn=Palmerston road, deposed that he left his residence at about 6.30 p.m. on the night of the 15th to go to Foxton. Whep near the railway crossing,, opposite • the Racecourse, witness, heard a motor cycle approaching from the direction of Foxton. Witness looked up,

but could see nothing. Witness then went on and after a few paces he heard the bike in the loose metal and saw it a few paces off and stepped--aside and let it pass. The bike had -no lights and was on the >wrong side of-the road. Witness estimated-the speed of the bike at 251 to 3(1 miles an hour when it passed him. As witness jumped aside deceased.: must have noticed him and he .opened up the throttle and the bike dashed on. The night was dark and there was a strong wind biowing with dust. Witness was walking with his head down. In witness’ opinion deceased was going at - a -very dangerous pace considering the conditions and could not have avoided anything on the road. The point -where witness met , the deceased is about half a mile ifrom the?seene of the- accident. Witness was quite satisfied that it was deceased who passed him. He was able to recognise him as he passed about 18 inches from him, face to face. *

William Thornber, music teacher, stated that at about 6.15 p.m. on the 15th he left Mr Whitton’s place, Himatangi, on a push bike.for Foxton. About a ipile and a half from Foxton witness noticed a motor bike lying on the centre of the road. Witness got off his cycle and saw a man’s cap on the road, searched round but could not see anybody. He then removed the motor bike to the side qf the road and intended coming into Foxton and reporting the matter. About a couple of chains further on witness saw a dray on the road. Witness got off his bike and went over to the dray and saw a man standing by the horse’s head and the body of another man impaled on the shaft of the dray. The body appeared to be quite dead. The driver of the dray seemed dazed and could not tell him anything of the accident. Wtness did not touch the body. The body 'was impaled on the left shaft and the shaft was protruding ■ through the body at least a foot. Witness then came to the police station and notified the police. Irwin Cecil Wright, seventeen years of age, residing with his grandmother in Ravensworth Place, Foxton, said on Saturday, 15th July, he borrowed a cart from Mr R. N. Speirs for the purpose of getting pine cones from Mr Coley’s plantation. Witness was accompanied by his grandmother, Mrs Wright, and collected a load of cones and left the plantation a little after five o’clock to come home. Witness was driving at a walking pace on the proper side of the road. When about half way between the Racecourse and Mi' Barber’s residence, Motuiti, he saw, about 10 yards in front of them, a motor cycle approaching straight at the dray. It would then be between six and half-past. Witness was on his correct side and right up against the sleepers of the railway line. The next thing witness knew was that the cyclist had collided with the cart. .The horse took fright and bolted for about two or three chains. Witness pulled . the horse up and got down and noticed a man impaled on the left shaft of the dray. Witness sent his grandmother away to get the doctor and police. Witness did not touch the body as he was of the opinion that the man was dead. Witness had to keep hold of the horse which was restless and was unable to do anything. The motor cyclist was travelling on his wrong side. The horse got a severe cut through the collision. There was no light on the bike or the dray. There was no place to put a lamp on the dray. To Mr Bergin: There was about a foot between the railway line and his cart before he met Spelman. Did not notice there was a strong wind blowing. Was keeping a good look-out on the road. The errand he was on had nothing to do with his employer. To the Police: He was on the dray driving at the time of the accident. was very dark at the time. He couldn’t hear the bike. It was a very silently running bike. It was not very’windy where they were. To Mr Beigin: He did not notice any noise much in the trees of the plantation. Edith Mary Wright said that she accompanied her grandson to Mr Coley’s plantation, past Motuiti on the afternoon of the 15th. After collecting a load of cones they left the plantation about 5 o’clock. Half way between MrJ3arber’s residence and the Raceeourse' witness noticed a motpr cycle, a yards away, coming towards them. After the eoUision ,h§r gcandSomgaye her the reins and got down and went to the horse’s head and exclaimed “Oh my_ God!” Witness asked what was the matter and he replied “Some poor fellow is impaled on the dray,” He then told witness to go for the police and doctor. Constable Owen stated that at about 7 o’clock on the night of the 15th, in consequence of a telephone call he went to the scene of the accident, about a mile and a half from Foxton, on the Foxton-Pal-merston road. Witness and Constable O’Ponnoghue removed the body, which was quite dead on their arrival, to the morgue. Witness made a subsequent examination of the scene of the collision. The road at this point is 21 feet wide and a patch of the road was cover■ed with benzine and another with oil close to it indicated the spot where the collision actually occurred. From the centre of this patch to the sleepers of the railway line was 12 feet. Si* feet ahead of that witness picked up the wheel marks of the dray. - The horse had a large'wound in the left side of the chest. The cycle was lying on the side of the road opposite’ where the benzine

was. The motor cycle was considerably damaged and the front number plate was doubled up and a considerable amount of blood and horse hair on that part of the cycle. The distance from where the body was to the benzine on the road was 3 chains and 43 feet. In witness’ opinion there would have been ample room for .a vehicle to pass the dray on either side. There was a strong southerly wind blowing on the night of the fatality. Witness saw deceased in town at about 5.30 on the night of the accident. Deceased was then riding his motor bicycle at a moderate speed and was not noticeably intoxicated. To Sergt. Manly: Judging by the marks on the l’oad, the dray was being driven on its right sid'e but more in the middle of the road. The cycle would be on the’wrong side of f the road in any case. The distance between the dray and the railway sleepers was eight feet, He was able to pick up the wheel marks of the dray six feet on the Foxton side of the oil marks. He examined the ground on the night of the collision with the aid of two actylene lamps and an electric torch. Made a further examination at daylight next morning. There had been a good deal of traffic on the road after the accident and it was difficult to trace the wheel marks of the dray.The coroner snid that very little importance could be attached to the oil marks as it was unlikely that the cycle would have stopped right at the spot, where the collision occurred. The coroner returned a verdict “that deceased, Bertram William , Spelman, met his death on the night of July 15th, through a collsion between his motor cycle nnd a spring dray, neither of the vehicles carrying lights.”