CAPSIZING CAR KILLS MAN AND INJURES ANOTHER
MOTOR FATALITY TAKES PLACE AT WOODEND.
The capsizing of an Austin car at Woodend at about ten o'clock this morning caused the death of one of the occupants, George Barton, and injuries to the other.
William Edward Marr, motor-lorry driver, and George Barton, a teamster employed at Mr L. IT. Campbell’s Happy valley station, left the station for Christchurch early this morning in Mrs Campbell's car with the intention of spending a holiday in the city. They called at the Kowai County Council office, where Marr, who was driving the car, obtained a motor-driver’s license. They continued their journey via Rangiora and Woodend, taking the road on the west. This road had been graded recently and the gradings were left heaped along the centre of the roadway. From the wheel marks it seemed that the gradings caused the car to swerve and after running about half a chain it turned completely over, landing on its wheels again. Both Barton and Marr were thrown out on to the road. Barton was killed instantaneously, his skull being badly crushed.
Marr suffered injury to his head but was able to move about, although he was in a semi-conscious condition. On being taken to Rangiora he was ordered to the Christchurch Hospital by Dr King. He could give no account of the accident.
Barton’s body was taken by the police to the Rangiora morgue to await an inquest. He was about twentyeight years of age and single. It is not known whether he had any relatives. A card found in his clothing gave his address as 125, Racecourse Road, Upper Riccarton. He had been working on the Happy Valley station for some time. Marr is twenty-five years of age and has relatives in Christchurch. His mother resides at 154, Bletsoe Avenue. The car was badly damaged about the body, but was able to go on its own power after minor repairs had been effected. -Star, 8/11/1926.
MOTOR-CAR WAS DRIVEN TOO FAST.
OVERTURNED ON ROAD;
CORONER’S VERDICT SAYS VICTIM DIED OF ACCIDENT.
On November 8 a light car overturned on the Woodend Road and one of the occupants, George Barton, was killed Inquiring into Barton's death this morning. Mr H. A. Young, Coroner, found “that deceased died at Woodend on November 8 from injuries accidentally received through a motor-car in which he was riding overturning The evidence shows that under the circumstances the car was being driven too fast.”
Sergeant McNamara conducted proceedings for the police.
Ethel May Gibling, a married woman residing at Woodend, stated that on November 8 she heard a car coming down the Woodend Road from Rangiora at what seemed a high speed, and then a crash. Two men, the occupants of the car, were lying on the road when she rushed out of her home to see what had happened, but as she approached one of them jumped up. Witness lifted Barton's head, but he appeared to be dead. She took the other man into her house and gave him assistance. The man told witness that a wheel had collapsed and the car had capsized.
Francis Edward Leech, a farmer of Rangiora, said he was working in a paddock at Woodend and saw a light car coming from the direction of Rangiora at about 30 miles an hour. The road was in fair condition.
To the police sergeant: The speed seemed to be dangerous considering the size of the car.
Constable David Sterrett, of Rangiora, said that after the wheel had collapsed the car had turned over, probably twice, and then righted itself. The driver of the car suffered severely from shock. Barton had a fracture at the base of the skull, and death would probably be instantaneous.
To the police sergeant: The surface of the road consisted of hard, dry lumps of clay, extending for about a quarter of a mile from the scene of the accident. From the wheel marks it appeared that the car had skidded. A car driven at a reasonable speed would hardly skid on this portion of the road. There was plenty of room to run on either side of the clay surface. A reasonable speed for a car of the size of the one in question would not exceed twenty miles an hour, where there was any chance of a loose surface.
Williiam Edward Marr, of New Brighton, the driver of the car, said that he and Barton had been pig shooting on Mr Campbell’s property in Happy Valley, where he and Barton were employed. They were driving into Christchurch in a light car, intending to leave it with a firm in the city. He had no recollection of the accident. This was the first time he had driven the light car but he had previous experience of driving. He was informed that he had secured a driver’s license on the morning of the accident. -Star, 13/12/1926.
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