FATAL MOTOR ACCIDENT.

Wairarapa Age, 10 February 1927, Page 3

FATAL MOTOR ACCIDENT.

CORONER’S INQUEST. INTO DEATH OF MISS CUMMINS. An inquest was held yesterday before the District Coroner (Mr. E. G. Eton) into the circumstances of the death of Miss Mary Cummins, -who died in the Masterton Hospital as the result of injuries received in a motor accident on the Carterton-Masterton Road last Saturday. Eileen Cummins, sister of the deceased, said that she was motoring in a light car with her sister and Mr. A. Dalrymple on the day in question. Witness was driving the car. . They were returning from Greytown on the Taratahi Road. When approaching the culvert under repair near O’Connor’s house she turned to the right on to some rough metal. Witness was travelling at a moderate speed, about 18 miles per hour. The ear skidded and turned right round and on to its side. She was thrown on the road. The deceased was partly under the car, and was found to be seriously hurt. Assistance was rendered by Mr. Timson, who w r as passing at the time. Her sister was then conveyed to the Masterton Hospital, after being amended to by Dr. Moser at his surgery. Witness had been driving since November and the car was in first-class order.

Dr. Moser gave evidence as to attending to the deceased. She was found to be suffering from a fracture of the skull. An operation was performed, but the deceased never rallied and died on Monday evening. Death was caused by a fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain, i

James Randolph Timson, who was in the vicinity of the accident, testified to finding the deceased pinned by the hood of the car. Witness passed the Cummins car 300 yards before the scene of the accident. He estimated that the Cummins car was travelling at from 15 to 18 miles per hour. He travelled behind the car for about three-quarters of a mile before passing, and in his opinion the car was driven carefully. At the place of the accident the road was in fair order, but dangerous if the metal w r as run on to, as a car was likely to skid. He attributed the accident to the loose metal and the car skidding. John Francis McKay stated that ho was accompanying Timson in the latter’s delivery vac. The Cummins car was under good control. After passing the car, witness, who was sitting on the back of the van, saw the light car skid round and turn over on the left side. The deceased was pinned by the rim of the hood. In his opinion the car was not being driven too fast. Harold George Keith, one of the occupants of Timson’s van, gave corroborative evidence.

Arthur Dalrymple, an occupant of the Cummins car, said he considered the road in good order at the scene of the accident except for the leose mCtal. The car they were travelling in was much narrower than the ordinary car, and much lighter, and could not keep to a beaten track. The car skidded in the metal and overturned. He considered Miss • Eileen Cummins a competent driver. He noticed on the downward journey that the front wheels of the ear were inclined to wobble when in loose metal.

The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased died from injuries received as the result of a motor accident. No negligence was attributable to the driver of the car. The Court extended its sympathy to the relatives in the sad bereavement.