RECENT MOTOR CYCLE FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 40017, 31 October 1929, Page 2

RECENT MOTOR CYCLE FATALITY.

CORONTAL INQUIRY. A colonial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Harold Arthur Wadsworth, who was killed in a motor accident on tho Sandon Road on Monday, was held in the local Couthourse on Tuesday afternoon before Mr. A. (Fraser, 'Coroner. Constable Blaxland, Rongotea, condueited the case on behalf of the police. 'Stanley Picton Davis, telegraphist, P. and T. Department, Welling - ton, stated in evidence that lie bad known deceased for the past two years, having resided with him in the same boarding house. He had no relatives in New Zealand, his father residing in Goole, Yorkshire, England. Witness tendered evidence of identification. Constable Blaxland intimated 'that two letters were disco,vered on deceased’s body, one being addressed to “Air. Cox” and the other to “Mr. Cook” at deceased’s address. Witness stated that a “Mr. Cook” had been a fellow boarder and friend of deceased, but recently left the boarding house. Wads- V worth was in the habit of taking charge of Cox’s letters Ayhieh were still being sent to his old address, and delivering them to him at the station where both were employed. He had evidently carried the letters away with him when he left for AA’anganui. Deceased had been an expert motor cyclist and he had (old witness that lie had been associated with motor-bikes ever since lie was able to ride. John Claude Alfred Lawson, boiler-maker, in the employ of the N.Z. Railway Department, and resident of fit) Kent Terrace, Wellington, deposed that last. Saturday afternoon he left Wellington with deceased on the back of his motor cycle for Wanganui. Deceased was an excellent rider who had his machine under control at all times. At a quarter past nine on Monday they left Wanganui on their return to Wellington. Eight miles south of Sanson 'they passed a motor car and were no sooner past than they saw another ear approaching. Wadsworth turned the hike, which was only travelling at approximately eight miles per hour, to pass the other ear, but the loose metal caused the bike to skid. A\ 7 itness was thrown clear and landed on his fedt, but ho did not see how Wadsworth was thrown, but on looking around witness saw him under the ear and rushed over to extricate him. He must have fallen on the left hand side of the bike. His head was under the running board of the car with the hack wheel up against his face. Witness did not think he was alive. • Wadsworth did not speak but on being laid on the ground and a cushion placed under his head he gave three gasps. AYadsworth looked to see how much room he had before he attempted to cross over in front of tlje car they had just passed and there must have been four or fiye ear lengths separating them. The driver of the car swerved off the road in an endeavour to miss the bike. AA r 'itness could mot say how much room there was between the hike and the car approaching as his attention was on the car they had just passed. Witness said the road was one of the most dangerous he had ever been on on a motor cycle owing to depth of the metal on it. The ear they passed was only travelling at about- 15 or 20 miles per hour. Witness did not think the car struck the bike as it was undamaged. William Edward Warren, farm hand, employed by Mr. J. B. Bradley, of Rongotea, and driver of the car which struck deceased stated that lie was motoring to Foxton at the time of the accident. A few miles south of the Makowhai factory a motor bike on which were two mien passed witness and then attempted to cross over to the other side of the road when a few yards ahead to avoid an approaching car. The hike skidded, however, and threw the two men on to the road only a ear’s length ahead of witness’s ear. In an endeavour to avoid a collision witness applied the brakes and ran his ear up a .bank. Witness did not thisk his car hit deceased, hut his mudguard might have struck his hack. When witness pulled up deceased’s head and shoulders were under the rear mudguard near the wheel. Witness was certain his front wheel did not pass over deceased’s head. When The hike, passed him witness was travelling at only about 15 miles per hour and then slowed down because he could see the hike skidding in the loose metal and thought an accident might happen. The approaching ear was about, 30 or 40 yards away at the time deceased attempted Ito cross the road. Deceased took no undue risk in crossing over the road at the distance mentioned. Witness considered the road very rough with heaps of loose metal between the wheel tracks. * •

Arthur Henry Hobbs, farmer, residing rat 'TaikiOirea, stated that he was driving towards Rongotea when the accident happened. Witness tendered corroborative evidence. Deceased was about 20 feet ahead of Warren’s car when he fell. The driver of the car took eyery precaution to avoid an accident. When Wadsworth was thrown the front mudguard of W|arfen’s car struck his forehead. Witness took the body into Foxton. (Constable Blaxland, of Eongotea, tendered evidence, as to the removal of the body to the Foxton morgue. Witness also visited the scene of the accident and stated that the road in the locality was covered with loose metal for a

width of 15 feet. The metal was four 'to six inches deep with no binding material. The roadway was divided by three wheel tracks by the traffic. It would be a very easy thing for any motor vehicle to skid on such a road. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased met his death through being accidentally run into by a ear driven by W. E. Warren owing to his motor cycle skidding and throwing him in front of the ear.