LOWER VALLEY FATALITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 February 1939, Page 9

LOWER VALLEY FATALITY

ACCIDENT ON WHANGAMOANA ROAD. INQUEST 'ON PATRICK BYRNE CONCLUDED. The inquest concerning the death of Patrick Clarence Byrne, of Petone, who died in the Masterton Hospital on January 28 as the result of injuries received in a motor accident on the Whangamoana Road on January 20 was concluded before the District Coroner, Mr E. G. Eton, in the Masterton Courthouse this morning. Senior Sergeant G. A. Doggett appeared for the police. The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, death being due to traumatic pneumonia and pleurisy as the result of internal chest injuries received in a motor accident. the car having been driven by William Percy McMahon, of Lower Hutt.

Hugh Mooney, of Petone, said that on January 20 he was a passenger in the car, which was owned arid driven

by William Percy McMahon, who resided at the Lower Hutt. Also in the car were Byrne and a young man, Frank Leighton, making a party of four. They were proceeding on a fishing expedition. to Cape Palliser for the weekend. They left Petone at about 8.30 p.m. on the Friday evening. Byrne occupied the front seat and witness was sitting at the back. On approaching a bend in the road known as the Whangamoana cutting, the car apparently skidded and landed upside down into the gully on the right hand side. The first to get out was Leighton. The dri- | ver, McMahon, and Byrne were assisted out of the car by the driver. Byrne complained of his chest. The time would be about 11.30 p.m. and the night was dark but fine and clear. Witness went for assistance to the nearest homestead, that of Mr Holmes Warren. Mr Warren took the four of them to the Ferry Hotel and phoned for assistance. The Ambulance came and McMahon and Byrne were conveyed to the Masterton Hospital. The speed of the car at the time of the accident was about 25 miles an hour. The lights on the car were good. They had had no liquor on the road from the time they had left Petone and the driver was perfectly sober. The only way witness could account for the accident was that it was due to loose metal on the road causing the car to skid and subsequently overturn. Dr Archer Hosking said Byrne was admitted to hospital on the early morning of January 21. Dr. Thouy attended Byrne on his admission. Byrne was suffering from an injury to the left side of his chest. His main injuries were to his left lung, which was torn. As a result of these injuries Byrne developed traumatic pneumonia and pleurisy, which caused his death on the morning of January 28. The cause of death was verified by a post-mortem examination. It appeared that Byrne had been pinned under the car for some time before he had been released.

William Percy McMahon, of Lower Hutt, driver of the car, gave evidence more or less in corroboration of that given by Hugh Mooney. When driving down the top of the Whangamoana cutting, travelling at about 20 miles per hour, the car developed a skid as it took the bend. He attributed the skid to loose shingle and corrugations on the road. The road was sloping away from the bank. The skid developed when the back wheels came in contact with shingle in the middle of the road. The back wheels skidded on to the grass at the right-hand side of the road and the. car turned over down the bank, landing on its hood about 7 or 8 feet below the road. He endeaovured to right the car when it skidded. Witness said he had been over the road about four times previously by day, though he had not driven over it before. Witness had only held a driver’s licence for three months. He and Byrne had had a few beers before 6 p.m. but no liquor was taken by any of the party on the journey and witness was not affected by any drink he had taken before 6 p.m. Senior Sergeant Doggett said there was no suggestion of intoxication. The car had been issued with a warrant of fitness on the day before the accident. Constable A. Trussing, of Martinborough, gave evidence as to proceeding to the scene of the accident some days later and making an examination of the road. There was about lin. or 2in. of loose metal on the road~but the driver should not have been near the metal, as he had kept too far over on the wrong side, having taken the bend too wide. He saw no marks to indicate that the cai’ was speeding. Witness said he considered the road to be a good country one, in good order arid condition.'

Mr Eton, in returning his verdict, said that from the evidence the passengers in the car had the greatest confidence in the driver and although from the constable’s evidence it appeared that the driver had gone too far over in taking the bend he was not prepared to go into that. The mere fact that as the result of the accident the driver had lost a companion no doubt would impress upon him the great need of care and caution in night driving, for which considerable experience was required. The Court, said Mr Eton, extended its sympathy to the relatives.