MOTORIST CONFESSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1921, Page 3

MOTORIST CONFESSES.

RUNNING OVER A BOY. THE KARAMU FATALITY. The mystery attaching to the identity of the driver of the car responsible for the death of the six-year-old. lad, Frederick Arthur Robert Allen, who was killed at the Karamu Bridge, near Hast ngs, on November 2, was lifted last Friday, when the inquest was resumed before Mr. R. W. Dyer, S.M. Inspector Marsack said that since the accident the police had made searching inquiries, with the result that a large amount of evidence had been secured. The previous day, however, the nan •to whom the evidence pointed voluntarily made a statement which enabled many witnesses to be dispensed vfith, and would prove conclusively how the unfortunate lad met his death. Three witnesses gave evidence indicating that Morgan Davies was under the ■ influence of liquor on the afternoon of the, accident. DRANK CONSIDERABLE LIQUOR/ John Martin, acting-detective, and Sergeant -McLean detailed the steps taken to trace the driver of the car. The latter put in the following statement, made by Davies:— “I am a farmer, living at No. 35, Milton Road, Napier. My farm is at Patoka. On Wednesday, November 2. I left Napier in the car‘a little after 3 p.m. for Hastings, via Clive and Mangateretere. I had had a considerable amount of liquor, at least five whiskys and sodas, before I left. I now wish' to make a voluntary statement of what I remember took place during my drive on that afternoon.

“I have not. from the first, had any intention of disguising anything. I did not, from the first, consider the mishap anything but an accident. I don’t know i why I did not see the child until the I ear almost strueK it. Possibly I yvas keeping on my proper side of the road, as One does on hill roads in the country, and struck the child. No doubt I did the wrong thing, as the shock of seeing the child down horrified me, and probably I did not put on the brakes until the child was run over. After going a bit further I looked back and daw the child on the road, and then I remember no more until, in a hazy way. 1 remember pulling up at Badley’s store at Greenmeadows and going in. “What I did there I don’t remember. Going along the road to Edwards’ place the first I remember was that he called, out to me. 1 can’t say if 1 remembered thqn about the child. Perhaps 1 did in a hazv way. After speaking to Mr. Edwards I tried to re-start my car, but coukj not do so. I then left it on the side of the road well out of the way of

traffic, and I drove home in Edwards’ car. “FELT IT WAS TOO LATE.” “I saw an account of the accident in the papers the next morning, but did not realise it. Why I did not communicate with the police Ido not know. I probably felt it was too late, and did not realise the position I had placed myself in. “On the morning of November 3 I went back with Edwards and Miller to where ; T had left the car and found nothing disi turtfed. I then noticed for the first time that the glass of the left head lamp was broken. A man came out from Napier and repaired my car (carburettor trouble). I then went on to my farm at Patoka with Millen. ANOTHER SLEEPLESS NIGHT. “I then really began for the first, time to realise things and returned to Napier on the Friday afternoon (November 4) I and called at my solicitor’s office (Grants). Grant was at Waipukurau i and would not be back until the next | morning. After another sleeplees nigl.c I I could not face it and the police ca'me I then. If I had pulled up my car as 1 soon as I struck the boy everybody • would have realised it was an accident. Whether it was from shock or what else I do not know what made me keep going on. , “When I returned from Patoka I washed down my car with a hose. 1 did not do this with a view of hiding anyI thing concerning the accident.” This concluded the evidence, as the inspector said he did not propose to call Morgan Davies. THE CORONER’S VERDICT. The coroner said the evidence was ciear that the boy died through injuries received by his being run over by a motor-car driven by Morgan Davies, and returned a verdict accordingly. In the Magistrate’s Court Davies was then charged that on November 2, at Karamu Road, Hastings, he, by driving his motor-car in a reckless and negligent manner, caused the death of Arthur 1 Robert Frederick Allen, thereby commit- 1 ting manslaughter. On' the application of the police the ' accused was remanded to appear at ’ Napier. Bail was allowed, ac- i cused in £5OO and two sureties of i £250. i