CRASHES INTO POLES
TWO SIMILAR FATALITIES INQUESTS OPENED AND ADJOURNED
Two persons are dead through accidents of an identical nature — motor cars crashing into telegraph, poles. One accident occurred at Caversham on Saturday evening, and it involved the death of a passenger, Arthur Cyril Bond (15). The other accident, which happened early on Friday morning in Elgin road, Mornington, resulted in the death in the Hospital yesterday morning of Ernest Leslie Davidson Little (36), who was also a passenger. The car Bond was in was driven by a youth named Laurie Newton; and as it was proceeding along the Main South road it is surmised that it became uncontrollable after striking a small obstruction and careened into a pole at the corner of Surrey street. The deceased received severe head injuries and was rushed to the Hospital, where he died at 8.15 — half an hour following his admission. He lived at Greencliffs, fronting the St. Clair Esplanade, and was employed by the Reale Ice Cream Company. This firm owned the car in which he was travelling. The driver was not injured, but the car was extensively damaged. The driver of the car in which Little was a passenger was Robert McLean. Little was suffering from concussion when admitted to the Hospital, and he failed to rally. The deceased resided at 78 Leith street, and was employed at the Hillside Workshops. Both inquests were opened at the Hospital this morning, Mr J. R Bartholomew,- S.M., being the coroner, and Sergeant Johnken representing the police. The father of Bond gave evidence of identification, and similar evidence was given by a brother of Little. Each inquest was adjourned sine die. -Evening Star, 28/3/1938.
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| Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo. |
DEATH OF A YOUTH
CAR COLLIDES WITH POLE
MAIN SOUTH ROAD FATALITY
"The evidence suggests that there might have been some lack of care or skill on the part of the driver of the car, but in view of possible litigation it is not proper for me to comment," said the coroner (Mr J R Bartholomew. S.M.) at the inquest yesterday into the death of Arthur Cyril Bond, aged 15 years, who died on March 26 as the result of a motor accident. The inquest was conducted by Sergeant Starke, Mr J. G. Warrington appeared for the parents of the deceased, and Mr J. S. Sinclair for the driver of trip car, George Laurie Newton. Edward Norman Quinn, a director of the Reale Ice Cream Company, King street, said that the deceased and Newton were employed by him. At 6.40 p.m. on March 26 he instructed them to deliver two gallons of ice cream to His Majesty's Theatre. They left in his car, a 1929 model, for that purpose. Newton was the driver and he held a licence, as did the deceased. The deceased was a permanent employee and Newton was only a casual, but witness thought Newton the more experienced driver. The car carried a warrant of fitness.
To Mr Warrington, witness said that the deceased began work at 8 o'clock and finished when the business for the day was dealt with. Sometimes it was late and sometimes early. Evidence that he inspected the scene of the accident a few minutes after the accident was given by Traffic Inspector Thomas Henry Victor Dickel. He described the damage to the car and measurements he had taken. From his observations of the damage to the car and the marks on the pole, the car must have been travelling fairly fast. The road in the vicinity of the accident was of an easy grade and had a bitumen surface. He saw no obstruction on the road.
Constable Absalum Drake detailed measurements which were endorsed and elaborated by Constable Charles Ross. The only obstacle on the road, said Constable Drake, was a stone the size of a man's fist. Constable Ross said Newton admitted to him that he did not apply his brakes.
A description of the mechanised order of the car was given by Constable Edward Henry Clark. He also described the damage to it.
George Laurie Newton, the driver of the car, said that they were travelling south on the Main South road at about 25 miles an hour approaching the intersection of Playfair street when the deceased asked why he did not have his dash light burning. He told him to put it on, but Bond did not feel for the switch in the right place. Witness therefore put his left hand out to show him and at that moment the car hit a bump and the steering wheel was wrenched out of his other hand. He brought his left hand up, but at that instant the car hit a pole. After the impact he was dazed from a blow on the back of the head. He saw the deceased with a door which was broken off lying across his throat. Witness called the ambulance and when it came, he went to a doctor to have his injury attended to. He had had no intoxicating liquor. Vision was good at the time of the accident. He could not say what the object was that caused the bump.
To Mr Warrington, witness said that the dash light was just to the left of the steering column. While he was reaching for it, he held the rim of the steering wheel with his right hand. He applied his brakes as soon as he felt a bump. He tried to wrench the car back into the road but just at that instant the car collided with the post. Until then the car had not hit the kerbing.
To Mr Sinclair, he said that he had visited the scene of the accident with a constable but had not identified any of the marks as made by the car he was driving. From his recollection, it was impossible for the marks further back on the kerb to have been made by his car. He considered the stone produced in court big enough to alter the direction of a car provided a front wheel hit it at a certain angle. The framework of the car was of wood, not of steel.
The finding was that death was due to asphyxia, the result of extensive surgical emphysema following a collision between a motor car in which he was a passenger and a telegraph pole. -Otago Daily Times, 14/3/1938.
IN MEMORIAM.
BOND.—A tribute of everlasting love to the treasured memory of our dear son and brother, Arthur Cyril, accidentally killed March 26, 1938.
Quietly, quickly came the call;
His sudden death a shock to all.
A sudden change in a moment fell,
Without a chance to say farewell.
Gone from us his smiling face,
His happy, cheerful ways.
The heart that won so many friends
In those happy, bygone days.
His life a beautiful memory,
His death a silent sorrow.
— Inserted by his loving mother and father and sister, Joyce (Sydney). -Evening Star, 26/3/1942.
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