MOTOR FATALITY
DUNEDIN LADY KILLED.
NEAR BOWLER'S CREEK.
A motor accident resulting in the death of Miss Rose Florence Foster, well known in Dunedin musical circles as Miss Queenie Foster, occurred yesterday afternoon between Bowler’s Creek and Evans Flat. She was returning to Dunedin with Mr Fred G. Duncan, solicitor, in whose office she was employed in a clerical capacity, and with whom she had visited Ettrick on business connected with the latter’s orchard, and when a little distance past Bowler’s Creek the car struck a rut, and, getting out of control, skidded and went over the bank, overturning and pinning the occupants underneath. Mr Welsh and a party from Beaumont, who were returning from Evans Flat, came upon the disabled car, upon righting which they discovered Miss Foster dead and Mr Duncan slightly injured. The edge of the oar had evidently struck the young woman across the neck. Mr Duncan was able to come to Dunedin after receiving medical attention, and he returned to Tuapeka this morning to attend the inquest on Miss Foster. Later information is that Mr Duncan suffered a fracture of two ribs, and that the inquest will he held at the house of deceased’s mother tomorrow morning. -Evening Star, 6/9/1922.
MOTOR FATALITY
INQUEST OPENED.
Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., coroner, this morning opened the inquest on the body of Rose Florence Foster, who was killed as the result of a motor accident near Bowler’s Creek on Tuesday last. Sub-inspector Eccles represented the police.
Wm. James Foster formally identified the body as that of his sister, aged thirty-two, who, he said, had enjoyed good health.
Frederick George Duncan, solicitor, said that deceased kept the books of his office and also the books of the orchards at Ettrick. Deceased left with witness in his car about 8 p.m. on Friday on a business trip to Ettrick. It was annual balance time. They left Ettrick about 1 p.m. on the following Tuesday for Dunedin. Deceased was in the front seat with witness. No one else was in the car. Before leaving Ettrick the car was in good running order, and nothing was wrong with the steering gear. Witness called in at Sunny Vale Orchard, Island Block, on the way down, and stayed three-quarters of an hour. After passing Bowler’s Creek it was a good straight road, and the car was travelling about thirty miles an hour until he slowed it down to twenty-five miles an hour at the corner. He knew the corner, which was at that time very bad, and cut up and full of ruts. A driver had to turn with the ruts, and not try to turn across them. Witness picked what he thought was the best part of the road. The driving wheel on the right-hand side skidded. That put the wheels out of alignment, and the front wheel jumped to the left. Witness straightened the car up, and by that time his left-hand wheels would be 2ft over on the grass. The road was narrow, and was very greasy from the heavy rain the previous day. Within three car lengths of running on the grass, the car turned right over — the wheels in the air. There was a bank of about 4ft deep at this point. Witness and deceased were both pinned under the car. There was a hole in the road. The steering wheel was sticking in back. Deceased was alongside him. Witness could not get out, and he must have been unconscious for a while, as it was twenty minutes before relief came. He thought it was about half-past 8 when the accident happened. When they were extricated deceased was dead. They went the same road when going to Ettrick. When going witness noticed the ruts at that point, and they passed them alright. The roads were dry then. They were on a down grade when the car "capsized. It was the ruts in the road and not the steering gear that made the car swerve. It never occurred to witness that there would be any danger of the car capsizing when it ran on to the grass. He had the brake on and the speed would then be fifteen miles per hour. When he saw the car was going to turn over he called out to deceased to get under the seat. Witness had been travelling that road for ten years in all sorts of weather, night and day, and had never had an accident before. Deceased was taken straight from the scene of the accident to the Tuapeka Hospital. The inquest at this stage was adjourned till a date to be fixed. -Evening Star, 7/9/1922.
MISS FOSTER’S DEATH
INQUEST CONCLUDED.
[Special to tub ' Star.’] LAWRENCE, September 13.
The inquest in regard to the death of Miss Rose Florence Foster was concluded at Lawrence to-day before Mr Dixon, S.M., coroner.
After hearing the evidence of Dr Sutherland, George O. Welsh, and Edward Pearson, the coroner returned the following verdict:
That the deceased met her death on September 5 through the overturning of a motor car in which she was travelling. Dr Sutherland expressed the opinion that had help been immediately available death would probably not have occurred. -Evening Star, 13/9/1922.
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