THE WELLINGTON MOTOR FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81910, 22 December 1906, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON MOTOR FATALITY.

I'JXDLW 01'' THE COROXER'S JURY. IVr Press Association. Wellington, December 21. The Coroner, in slimming up to the jury at llic inquest, on .Mrs Kensington, said that on the occasion of this accident the ladies had not the slightest, intimation that anything would cross their path. To liiin it uppeared. that in such a case, when a vehicle came suddenly round a ccrner and did damage, thorn was something blameworthy m Ijie action of the person driving tho car. The question Has wlietuer the car turned me corner Willi proper precautions lo prevent, injury. bo far as lie coil la make out, wiien the ladies liisi sa.\ Ihe car coining, it could not have been more than -oft from them. Jt so, they had just four seconds lo gel out oi ihe Way. Ought not the driver, instead of risking the chance of Hie ladies going fast or slow across liie road, to June slopped dead unlit they were safely across! it seemed lo liim thai il was great rashness to turn ihe corner al i- or lo miles an hour.

liio jury, after an hour's delibeia Lion, relurnd the following verdict:— "We are of tile opinion thiit Mrs Kensington met her death by aeeidont and misadventure liy being knocked down by a motor lire-engine, and that no blame is attachable to tl'iu driver of tne engine, .is we are convinced from tiie evidence that lie saw it e ear coarse when turning into lioweii suvei.. We arc of opinion that the lire-engine warnings arc not distinct enough from the electric tram warning bell; that something that should be recognised as a iire-engiiie alarm -Surohl lie procured, and that stringent regulations should be brought into i"rce regulating the speed of all motor vehicles.'' Tlio jury tendered their sincere sympathy with the bereaved family.

The Coroner said he was bound to, accept the verdict, but he wished to say he disagreed with it, particularly in view of the evidence tendered regarding the rate of speed at which the engine rounded liowen street corner.