A FATAL “DOUBLE"

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 539, 17 December 1928, Page 1

A FATAL “DOUBLE"

BLAME FOR TAXI-DRIVER ACCIDENT IN TAITA GORGE Press Association WELLINGTON, To-day. The inquest on Joseph O’Neill, who killed as a result of a taxi going ov*r the bank at Taita Gorge early on £*cember 3, was concluded to-day. A constable gave evidence tliat wheel aiarks showed the car went gradually Closer to the bank, then went over. r * P. J. O’Regan, who appeared for deceased’s wife, said deceased was a ighly respectable man and generally sober habits, but on the Saturday the accident had won £IOO in a double and wished to stand his friends a drink. A verdict that death was caused tdrough a fractured skull received when if 5 * * n h© was riding, and ’•dlch was driven by U. \V. riargent. accidentally driven over the side 1 “ e r °ad in Taita Gorge, ini • coroner commented on the stat ® of the two passengers, and Horsfall, end said that, ‘V’d Bards the driver, there was no *aence to show he was intoxicated, drived ? as ev idence, however, that the \.. er had some liquor, corn* taxi ’driver,” continued the “is responsible for the safe T -heii*« his passengers, whatever f an d I think the conduct A J; l J er in taking liquor, in taking storms.. their condition into his car, in a rU? at an hotel for liquor, which and then in stopping at :akj n ‘ Jjctel and obtaining and paris deserving of the t ♦Kt nsure He is obviously l cense ” to hold a taxi-driver’s