CORONIAL INQUIRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3897, 19 January 1929, Page 3

CORONIAL INQUIRY.

INTO DEATH OF OLIVER LESLIE ANDERSON. VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. At the inquest into the circumstances sun-ounding the .death of Oliver Leslie Anderson, of Foxton, aged 18, which occurred as a result of the car in which he was a passenger, overturning, the Coroner (Mr. A. J. Graham) returned a verdict of accidental death. Dr. Frank Ward, Superintendent of the Palmerston North Hospital stated that when deceased was admitted to! hospital lie was conscious but complained of pain in the hack of the neck, inability to unlove both legs iand partial inability to move both arms. It appeared that he had injured the spinal cord. Appropriate treatment was given but Anderson gradually became semi-con-scious and required -sedatives to keep him iquiet. Soon after he became worse and died. The cause of death was spreading inflammation of the s-pinai cord caused by a fracture.

Horace John Reid, picture operator, of Foxton, gave evidence of identification.

James Bernard Coley, labourer, of Foxton, deposed that deceased was a -passenger in the ear witness

drove from Marion to Foxton on the afternoon of January 1. At a narrow part'of the road about two

miles on the Foxton side of Sandon, the sounding of a car horn at his side was the first intimation he had of a m'otorist behind wishing to

pass. Witness was pulling off to the side as the second car went by. The driver of that motor, however, turned in too quickly in front of witness, the car catching witness’s motor a glancing' blow in front that broke the steering rod. The result was that witness’s car overturned into the swamp alongside the road. Coley said he was quite sure that the broken, steering rod was the result of the blow and not the result of his having suddenly to pull the car against the impetus of the blow. Nor had the sudden application of the brakes been responsible. The road he thought was too narrow at that spot for a car to overtake another. He only heard one blast of the horn <o£ the rear car. His speed at the time was from 17 to 20 in.p.h. The steering rod showed no sign of a flaw. Geoffrey Mohekey Williams described the blow given -Coley’s front

wheel by the passing car as a hard one. As soon as the steering rod broke the car headed for the swamp and overturned. Deceased was the last to be got out. Witness considered Coley a competent driver. Alfred Edward Julian, taxidriver,

of*Levin, -said lie was the driver of the car which overtook Coley’s. Witness had been driving for 15 years and averaged 400 miles per week. Wftien about a chain behind Coley he blew his horn but Coley kept straight on. As witness passed he felt no bump and didn’t know that the two motors had hit. A passenger remarked, however, that Coley’s car had touched the taxi and immediately afterwards called out that it had gone over the bank. Witness stopped and went back to vender assistance. Anderson was the only one hurt. Witness said he would expect to,- feel a bump that would be sufficiently liard to capsize another motor. Witness’s speed at the time was 25 m.p.h. To the Coroner witness submitted the theory that the steering rod of Coley’s car had broken as a result of a skid before the two cars touched. After the accident lie traced the wobbly wheelinarks. Further, witness said he was of opinion

that there had been a flaw in the rod and that it could be seen easily. Nobody could find a mark on witness’s ear where it had been struck. Alfred James Marks, a passenger in Julian’s ear, considered that there was ample room for two cars to pass at the spot. It seemed to witness, however, that Coley did not want Julian to pass as lie didn’t puli off when the horn was sounded. Witness saw the broken steering rod and considered it bail a flaw in it. He lnul travelled with Julian on several long’ journeys and considered him a capable driver. Win. Waitere, of Levin, lorry driver, tendered the opinion that two lorries could have passed at the spot where Julian’s car passed Coley’s. Witness saw the broken steering rod and considered it had broken as a result of pressure on a flaw. He was a passenger in Julian's taxi but did not feel a bump. Herman Alfred Pierce, farmer, of Sanson and George Fred Schultz, sluiremilker of Makowhai, also gave evidence. Neither heard the noise of a collision.

In returning a verdict according to the medical evidence, the Coroner remarked that Coley had admitted he was travelling more to the right of the road than he should .have been, consequently Julian was obliged to pull over partly on to the grass. It doesn’t appear that an impact (if any) was sufficient to cause the ear to overturn. Apparently the steering gear of Coley’s ear broke causing him to lose control. It was clear front the evidence that; Julian sounded his horn. It was possible that loose metal caused the steering rod to break and if the weight of evidence was to 'be believed, the rod, was faulty.