WOMAN’S DEATH

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20730, 14 February 1939, Page 6

WOMAN’S DEATH

TWO CARS COLLIDE ACCIDENT NEAR PUKETUffUA EVIDENCE AT INQUEST The circumstances snrrouwfhig « motor collision at an intersection near thp Puketurua factory on New Yrai - * evr. jn which Gladys Moana Pearee 35), married, received fatal injtirirft. were recounted to-day when an Inquest was opened before Mj S. L. Paterson. S.M. The hearing w't« eonducfpd by Sergeant M. Farrell, while Mr \V. J. King • ppediei on behalf of G J. Walker the driver of one of the cars; and Mr D. Seymour represented G. A. Pearc-3 ;husband of deceased), Gilbert Alan Pearce, a farmer of Puketurua. said at 7.20 p.m. on December 31 he and his wife left home by car and at the five-cross roaos near the Puketurua factory' a collision took place with another ear. Witness had plenty of tim: to reach his destination and was travelling at about 30 miles per hour. On looking to hts left at the intersection he noticed another ear approaching at what appeared to be. a normal speed and he came to the conclusion that there might be trouble. He endeavoured to apply the foot brake but. pressed the accelerator instead, swerving to the r'ght at the same time. The other vehicle struck his left-hand door and witness’ vehicle overturned. Witness could not get out of the vehicle until he received assistance from the occupants of the other car. Mrs Pearce was unconscious and there was difficulty in extricating her. Witness could not say that he would have avoided the accident hud he stopped. Visibility Not Good The driver of the other car, Gordon James Walker, farmer, of Parawera, said at the cross-roads he Intended turning to the left. He travelling at between 20 and 25 miles per hour and on seeing Pearce's ear he en-> deavoured to stop. He struck the car at the left-hand side of the front seat. Vlsibllty at that point wa6 not very good, the view being obstructed by a high bank with long grass, and witness could not see the other car until he was practically on the corner. After the accident witness heard Pearce say he put hlq foot on the accelerator instead of applying the brake. It was difficult to say* whether the accident would have been avoided by Pearce applying his brakes, but witness thought it would. He had his head-light burning at the time but Pearce did not. Alleged Admission Alexander Bankier, railway workshops employee of Otahuhu, who was a passenger in Walker's oar on the night of the accident, corroborated the previous witness’ evidence and said the other car appeared to be travelling at a fast pace. There was no warning of the approach of Pearce's car. Pearce later admitted that the accident was his fault. The drivers of both cars were sober. Evidence of having visited the scene of the accident was given by Constable T. J. Cotter, of Putaruru, who said when Pearce first saw the other car he would be about 40 feet from the intersection. At that time Walker would he approximately 90 feet from the intersection, which was described as a dangerous one, because visibility was restricted. The evidence of Dr. C. S. Preston, of the Waikato Hospital, was not available and the hearing was adjourned pending receipt of the evidence/