MOTOR-CYCLIST’S DEATH.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1921, Page 6

MOTOR-CYCLIST’S DEATH.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. An inquest was held yesterday before Air. C. R. Orr Walker, Coroner, torching the death of John James Cavaney, who met his death on Saturday on the South Road, through the motor.cycle he was riding colliding with a post. Dr. E. A. Walker deposed that he arrived at the hospital immediately after deceased was admitted at 5 p.m. Deceased was deeply unconscious, and presented signs of intra-cranial haemorrhage. He also had two ugly compound fractures. The case was obviously hopeless, and the deceased died at 6.30 p.m. The immediate cause of death was intra-cranial haemorrhage. 1

John Cavaney, father of the deceased, said deceased was aged 19, and was a joiner by occupation. Deceased had owned the motor„cycle about three weeks. He saw his son ten.minutes before the accident, and deceased said:

“I’ve got the machine going all right now.” Previous to this the magneto was defective, and the fact that the machine was running well again occasioned the remark. Deceased had only been riding for a month or six weeks. He had only been out of bed five or six weeks, and it was witness’ opinion that deceased was really not strong enough to ride the bicycle.

Eric C. Blanchett said he was with deceased on Saturday afternoon. Both were riding motor-cycles, and were travelling along the South Road in the direction of the Breakwater. When nearing Alorshead’s nursery witness was a little ahead of Cavaney. but when with, in twenty or thirty yards of the post deceased passed witness, and seemed to go straight for the post, which was in the middle of the bend and on the left hand side of the road. Bicycle and rider fell on the footpath. Deceased was immediately rendered unconscious. Witness estimated the speed at which deceased .passed him at between twenty and twenty-five miles per hour. The road made a slight incline down at this spot. Deceased’s machine appeared to be running well. Witness said that de. ceased had recently had rheumatic fever, and he thought the sudden rush of cold air paralysed his fingers, so that deceased had no control of the bicycle in negotiating the corner. The bicycle had a good back brake, which was found on after the collision, but the accident may have caused this. In reply to the Coroner witness said he had no certifi cate allowing him to ride a motorcycle, and did not think such was required. Constable Cantlin also gave evidence as uu going to the scene of th? accident and seeing that deceased was removed to Ihe hospiia’. The Coroner brought in a verdict that the cause of death was intra.cranial I haemorrhage, caused by deceased being accidentally thrown from a motor-cycle on South Road on Saturday. Alay 21.

The Coroner also added the following rider: “I think the proper authorities .should take into consideration the advisability of making it compulsory for every motor-cyclist to have a certificate of competency to manage his motorcycle.”