BELL BLOCK ACCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1920, Page 3

BELL BLOCK ACCIDENT.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. An inquest, concerning the death of William Julius Gustavo Eielistaedt. which occurred on Sunday as the result of injuries received in a motor accident on Saturday, was held at the New Plymouth Courthouse at 5 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., district coroner. SeniorSergeant H. M'Corrie represented the, police. R. D. Climie, engineer to the Taranrki County CounciJ, deposed that he was driving a ear from New Plymouth to Sentry Hill and shortly after 11 o clock he passed a ear driven bv Mr. If. B Lepper at the bottom of the dip by the Bell Block hall. On turning the corner and ascending the hill he saw an overturned car in flames with its front wheels slightly to the right of the middle of the road. A bov and girl had been throvn clear of the overturned ear, but four people were pinned underneath. The car was resting on Mr. Eichstaedt's chest. Witness and another man who was with him were able to extricate Mr. Eielistaedt and his companions. Mr. Eielistaedt was able to stand up but was dazed. He kept muttering "Too much speed " In reply to the Senior-Sergeant, the witness said iJie near rear wheel of the car was broken. Before thev pushed the ear to the side of the road it was lying with its bonnet on the metal and poirtting in almost the opposite direction to that in which it had been proceeding. The flames were extinguished with sand after the people had been rescued. Because of the nature of the road at this point it would bo very dungerous for a car to try td pass another from behind. Mrs. Louise Eielistaedt, the wife of he deceased man, said that her husband, four children, and herself lerf their home on the York Road, Midhirst, at a little after 10 o'clock. They passed fli ?JH' S oar on the Jnglewood side of the VUitara road and it passed them later. Ihev caught up to the other car again some distance from the scene of the accident. Before coming quite to the curve her husband blew the horn and Mr. Lepper drew off to the left. Mie did not think her husband then put speed on. When the commencement of the steep part of the hill leading into the hollow was near, the front, wheels of their ear were almost up to the back wheels of Mr. Leppers car and the latter pulled out on to the road again. Her husband then either had to run into the other car or pull off the road to the off, and he did the latter. The rest of the occurence was so rapid that she had no clear knowledge of it. The magistrate remarked that lie had seen the place and was sure it was not wise to attempt to pass there. Mr Eielistaedt should have put his brakes on and let the other ear go ahead. Continuing Mrs. Eichstaedt said she did not think her husband was traveling very fast at the time. He had Had the car nearly three years, A- Walker, medical superintendent of the New Plymouth Hospital, deposed that the rause of death was shock resulting fr.vn tha injuries received, which included crushing of the j .'" right side aud penetration ot the lung. > Mr. H. B. Lepper, the driver of the other car, was prevented by illness from attending. Evidence was given by Mrs C- B. Lepper who was a passenger in the car. She stated that she heard a crash and on looking back saw the other car overturning. Mr. Lepper had drawn to the left, but en commencing to go down the hill, had turned towards the centre. She drew Mr. Lepper's attention to the accident and he stopped his ear The verdict was to the effect that the deceased man died of injuries received through the accidental overturning of Ins car. The coroner remarked "that there did not seem to have been any negligence on the part of Mr. Leppeij From the evidence it seemed that Mr. I'.ichstaedt had got too close up at a part of the road where it was very dan gerous to attempt to pass.