ROAD FATALITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 April 1943, Page 2

ROAD FATALITY

CYCLIST STRUCK BY CAR INQUEST ON I. J. HARDLEY. DISTRICT CORONER’S VERDICT. A verdict that Isaac John Hardley died of serious injuries which were sustained on March 11 while he was cycling along the Masterton-Carterton main highway in a northerly direction and was overtaken and struck by a motor car driven by Evan C. Brenkley, and by the force of the impact was violently thrown some distance from his cycle to the side of the road, was returned by the -District Coroner, Mr L. J. Taylor, at an inquest at the Masterton Courthouse this Mr H. H. Daniell represented Mr E. Brenkley, and Mr R. McKenzie watched the proceedings on behalf of Mrs Hardley. Dr. John Rich gave medical evidence in which he stated that death was due to injuries to the head and chest consistent with Hardley having been struck by a motor-car. Dorothy E. Rutherford, single, of Walton’s Avenue, stated that she was cycling with Hardley when the accident occurred. When they were ap- < proaching the intersection of Norfolk jP Road, she heard a car coming from X behind them. She did not remember * seeing any light from the car in the road in front of them. The car struck Hardley, who was thrown across in front of her on to the grass. The car went on for about 100 yards and turned and came back. Hardley was unconscious. Medical and other assistance arrived. The car was travelling very fast at the time of the collision. To Mr Daniell, witness said she did not remember seeing a second car approaching which she thought came from Masterton. She did not know whether it reached the scene of the accident before or after Mr Brenkley. Nor did she know whether the car passed Brenkley before or after he turned. Witness said she did not remember what traffic was on the road. Byron K. Rush, a railway porter, of Waingawa, said he was 300 to 400 yards away when he heard a crash and heard the brakes of a car being applied. The car continued for about 70 yards, stopped and circled twice and then came back to the scene of the accident. Evan C. Brenkley, contractor, of High Street, Masterton, said that on March 11, after carrying out business at Featherston he stopped at the Royal Oak Hotel, Carterton, and had two drinks of gin and ginger ale. Witness left the hotel and went to the Taratahi Hotel where he had another two gins and ginger ale. He left the Taratahi Hotel just before closing time. He inspected two jobs and left for Masterton with his car parking lights on. At the midway bridge he put his lights full on. The three bottles of beer found in his car were purchased on March 8. He was travelling at 30 miles an hour and met several cars' travelling towards Carterton. He saw two cyclists on the road in front of him. One was in the centre of the road and one was to the left. When he first saw the cyclists they were 20 feet away. Witness said he swung his car to the right. As he turned to his right the cyclist swung over to the right. Wit- , ness considered the cyclist swerved on A account of the wind, which was blowing hard. He struck the cyclist with his left hand front mudguard. Witness said he had lost the sight of his left eye and wore a glass eye. His headlamps were dipped. The weather was fine and visibility was good. The light from the cars which passed him did not interfere with his vision. He did not see the rear reflectors on the cycles. He had driven a car for 27 years and was an experienced driver. Robert C. Baikie, ambulance driver, stated that in his opinion Hardley was dead when he arrived to convey him to hospital. Constable Williams, of Carterton, gave evidence and produced a plan of the accident. He said the point of impact was not definite as there were no marks on the road to indicate it. Brenkley was not intoxicated. Eric Jones, motor mechanic, _ stated in a report that the car was in good mechanical order.