MOSGIEL TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 April 1939, Page 7

MOSGIEL TRAGEDY

CHARGES AGAINST TRUCK DRIVER ACCUSED TO STAND TRIAL. EVIDENCE OF A JOCKEY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, April 26. In the Magistrates' Court this morning before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., William Alexander Tait, aged 30, appeared on charges arising from a tragedy which occurred on Duke’s Road, Mosgiel, on April 15, in which two young people lost their lives. The charges were that accused had negligently driven a motor-truck, thus causing the deaths of Neil Harris and Vera Thomson, and that accused, being driver of a motor-truck whereby an accident had occurred involving injury, failed to report the accident. He was committed for trial on the first charge.

Accused pleaded not guilty to the major charge and guilty to having failed to report the accident. ' Several witnesses gave evidence.

Allen McKerrow, jockey, Wingatui, said that on the evening of April 15, he saw accused at about 8 o’clock. They had had four or five beers each. Accused said he had a motor-truck down the street and witness went for a ride in it. Later witness was in Duke’s Road at about 11.30 in the truck with Tait, who was driving. When Tait had said something about having hit something, the truck was backed and Tait got out and went back and as witness got out he saw a flicker of light and he heard Tait say, “He is dead.” Witness saw a man lying on the road and a motor-cycle. He saw no other body. Before the truck was stopped witness saw no other motor vehicle coming toward him. He had his head down and was "sort of dozing.” When they got back on the truck Tait appeared to be very cut up. Witness said to Tait, “It would be just as well to report it,” and offered to show him the police station. They drove past the old Mosgiel police station. Tait said that he did not like going away and leaving the bodies there but gave no reason then why he did not report to the police. Witness was directing Tait as the latter did not know the locality. Tait said something later about leaving the matter over till he had time to think about it. They went to witness’s "home. From the position of the body of the man and the motorcycle it would be the right-hand side of the lorry which had struck them, if it did so. Accused called upon him on Sunday, witness continued, and told him that two people had been killed and he did not know what to do about it. Witness had said, “You should report it.’ When in the truck the previous day he had seen a parcel there similar to the parcel produced. At the time of the accident witness considered accused had had a few drinks but was ndt drunk. Witness had not removed the parcel of beer from the truck. Witness did not hear the impact between the motor-cycle and the truck. He was still ‘in the truck when ic was backed. He did not see the , headlight of the cycle shining. ' After further evidence the magistrate committed accused for trial on the charge of causing the deaths of Neil Harris and Vera Thomson. Decision on the second charge to which accussed had pleaded guilty and the verdict in the inquest proceedings were postponed till after the Supreme Court trial.