ADJOURNED INQUEST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10206, 6 April 1911, Page 5

ADJOURNED INQUEST.

THE LATK ALBERT E. NICOLSON

(By Our Special Reporter.)

At Carterton yesterday, the inquest touching the death of the Into Albert Ernest Nicolsoji, who wns killed by the upsetting of a brake on the Maungaraki Hill on Thursday last, was resumed. Sergeant Miller, of Masterton, eontinned the-examination of ■vitne.-.ses, and Mr !). G. Smart. Solicitor, was in attendance as representative of deceased's relatives. In the course of examination, W. T. Douglas stated that on the morning of March 30th (Thursday last) deceased and ho started from Carterton by the seven o'clock train, but called at the Marquis and Club Hotels before -starting. Had a glass of beer each at the Marquis, and deceased purchased a small bottle of whisky, while witness purchased an ordinary bottle of whisky. At the Club Hotel they had another glass of beer, and then caught, tho train. At Masterton witness fed the horses, had breakfast, and then 'left for Te Wharau at ten o'clock, N'icolson being with him, sitting on the load, witness driving. There was 38 cwt of wire on the brake, which was drawn by five horses. On arrival at the junction of the Glanstone-East Coast Road, Nlcolson went into Gladstone, while witness fed the hosres. Nicolson returned with a. parcel, bub could not say what it contained. Deceased had a small bottle of whisky with him, and witness an ordinary bottle of whisky. Witness' bottle was not opened. Along the road both bad a. drink with one or two travellers and the roadmen. Witness had got a bottle of water to drink, and had a. dash of whisky in it from N'icolson's bottle. They ivefo trotting down the road, which was rather steep, and ' in approaching tho turn where the | accident occurred, one of the pole I horses stumbled. Witness had his foot j on the brake, and was skidding the i wheels down the hill, when something happened. The brake must have broken or something given away, for ho felt himself falling for.vard.* and remembered nothing more until " he returned to consciousness at Mr York's.

To Mr Smart: Had heard since that the brake was broken. When Nicolson returned from Gladstone he was as sober apparently as when he went. After having the drinks referred' to. Nicolson was quite able to look after himself. Witness was not at all nf-' fected by the liquor he had taken, and thought the accident occurred through the brake snarming off. To the Coroner: His bottle of whisky was not broken, and. so far as ho knew, was taken back to Masterton. Had no liquor after leaving the roadmen. He had drunk from the bottle of water.

George Bnhb, shepherd at Bank View, knew deceased Nicolson. and met" him on the day of the accident rear Watercress Creek on the top of the hill. Barclav, manager of Waikaraka, was with him, and Alex. Turner, manager of Tupnrupuru, came along as ther stood talking for a, few minutes. Thought it was Douglas who asked him to have a drink. There was only one drink of neat' wjiisky taken, and witness had it. Tlie others had a bottle containing water. Bar-' clay and Turner had a, drink from the | bottle containing water, which Doug-! las also had. Deceased did not hnvr» \ a drink at all that he saw. Dongas ! and deeenced showed no signs what, j ever of bavins: had nw Hover. Tf j was about quarter to- four "-i 4 -- ness met them first, and fire mbmtos nast four when he loft them, and the i bot+lo wns onlv nrodneod the n^oo, W. You""', of t-K" HTncTst/vno | Hotel, had known deoenced■ fo« time. On March 30th d»prn<:ed cnlWl at nb'Mit one nVWV. ,i"/l ™ nr *mA * A I>~ in a burn*. Asked for fo"r hot+ T "" of ■"•biskv. which were sunnh'nd. being Walker's rniorts. He naid and then left. being er.lv three e r four there. o"d bad no drinT-e. Deeo"~.<>d showed no signs of having/been drinking. Tn summing un. the coroner regretted that the evidence in cases generally seemed to be unsatisfactory: some were conflicting, and where there was linuor in the cases there seemed to hs a. bond among men not to admit that the linuor had anv affect upon those who drank it. However, be would nnt go further than that. It was craite clear that Nicolson was killed absolutely by accident, and killed instantaneously by falling upon his head, thus breaking his neck, throun-h the upsetting of a brake driven by W. T. Douglas. This was the verdict. The Coroner added that it was a sad thing that men driving over these dangerous roads should take the least drop of liquor when they wanted all their nerves about them.