Woman Killed in Tawa Flat Smash

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 78, 23 June 1927, Page 13

Woman Killed in Tawa Flat Smash

MOTOR-DRIVER CHARGED CASE AT WELLINGTON WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Press Association. A FTER several remands the case - against John Walling, a carrier, aged 43, of Eastbourne, who was charged with recklessly driving a motor-car at Tawa Flat, on June 3, thereby causing the death of Mrs. Helen Telfer, proceeded before Mr. Page, S.M., to-day. Among the evidence was a photograph taken on June 4, which showed a rubmark on the left rear mudguard, such as might have been caused by contact with a motor tyre, but which might have been caused in other ways. Alexander Coleman, the driver of the car which went over -the bank, said that a dark-coloured, closed-in car attempted to pass without any horn being sounded. The witness considered it was a ridiculous place to try to pass as there was a bank on one side, and a gully on. the other. When thfe other car got abreast, the witness applied his brakes. Seeing the position the driver of the other car also applied his brakes, and then released them. He shot across in front of the witness’s car, and the rear mudguard or bumper of the other car struck the witness’s front wheel and pushed him off the road. He estimated the speed of the other car as 10 miles an hour more than his own. He did not see the car’s number, but the occupants must have been aware of the collision, because of the jar and the noise of the impact. Edward Thomas Skews, a motor mechanic, said that he stopped his car just past Tawa Flat to allow three cars, the last of them a sedan, to pass. He followed some distance behind, and several times he saw the sedan attempt unsuccessfully to pass the second car. After a few minutes the sedan did pass, and he heard the noise of an impact. The second car then plunged over the bank. The sedan went on round the corner, and the witness pursued it for about half a mile, when he came up within ten feet of it, and with the aid of his headlights and a spotlight, took the number. The sedan was not out of his sight during the pursuit.