MOTOR FATALITY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 24, 2 June 1913, Page 5

MOTOR FATALITY.

DEATH OF REGINALD BELL COLLISION BETWEEN MOTORCYCLE AND SPRING DRAY. • GHASTLY INJURIES.

A fatal accident occurred in Fentcn , Street at tho Orlando Street corner on Saturday evening, resulting in the death of Reginald Bell, a young mar. in tho employ of Mr Newton King. It appears that Bell was riding dowi. Fenton Street at a rapid rate withoutout a light ,and when passing the end of Orlando Street ran into a carrier's cart, driven by tho owner, Mr Philip James. Tho end of one of tho shafts struck his chest, burying itself in tho right side and inflicting ghastly wounds. James at once ran up to Fitzgerald's Hotel and summoned medical assistance. Drs. Carbery anc Steven were soon on the spot, and attended the injured man's wounds as well as they were able on the roadside, afterwards removing him to the hospital. It was seen that ho was in a critical condition, little hope being held for his recovery, and he diet! at 7.45 o'clock last night. Mr James states that he was driving slowly at 'the time of the accident, stnnding up in the cart carrying a lighted lantern. When seen

by a "Post" representative, he was on the verge of collapse through shock. and is still feeling very keenly the effects of the sad sequel. He thinks that had he been driving fast, hf might have been able to avoid the motor cycle. Mr Bell was most popular in Stratford, and a particularly sad featurf of the case is that he was married onh two or three weeks ago >to Miss Prentice of this town. He was a thoroughly competent mechanic, and held in high esteem by the management. He was for some five years in the Daimler motor works in England, and subsequently came to New Zealand, joining Mr Newton King's 6taff about five months ago. He was thirty years of age. An inquest will bo held to-morrow morning.

ALLEGED MOTORING WITHOUT LIGHTS. Timaru, June 1. Eden, the owner of a car plying for hire, was charged with driving on the public road by night without lights. The case was dismissed on a piece of delicate evidence. Eden alleged that he had been on the wrong side of the road, when he met a motor cycle with lights on the right side of the road, and in order to avoid a collision, he suddenly turned the car right round, upset it and was pinned beneath. The charge was dismissed on the evidence that he told the cyclist, who came to his aid, to put out the lights, for fear that the petrol would be fired and that he would be. burned with the car—(the lights were then out, however). Another witness •stated that the bottom of the kerosene facelight was smoked inside af if it had been burning while upside down.