The burial of the remains of Gordon Donald Watson, who was killed in the motor accident near Gore on Sunday last, took place at the Anderson Bay Cemetery yesterday afternoon. Deceased, who left New Zealand with the 29th Reinforcements, saw service in the fighting line in France. Prior to leaving Dunedin some months ago to enter the service of the legal firm of Messrs Bowler and Bannerman, at Gore, he was an enthusiastic member of the Dunedin turned Soldiers’ Choir, and took a keen interest in the affairs of the Dunedin R.S.A. Representatives of the association and the choir attended the funeral. Numerous wreaths were forwarded from the Tennis Club and Golf Club at Gore, and from friends. -Evening Star, 21/1/1925.
MOTOR ACCIDENT
THE GORE FATALITY
INQUEST PROCEEDINGS
(From our Correspondent.) The adjourned inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Gordon Donald Watson, who was killed in a motor accident near Riversdale on January 17, was continued at Gore on Tuesday afternoon, before Mr A. Martin, District Coroner. Sergeant Tonkinson represented the Police.
MEDICAL TESTIMONY.
Alexander J. McIlroy, registered medical practitioner, of Gore, stated that he received a telephone message at 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 17, to attend a motor accident beyond Riversdale. He reached the scene of the accident about 6.45 p.m., and saw the deceased lying on the left-hand side of the road alongside a wrecked motorcar. The body was fully clothed, except for one shoe, and hat. On examining the body he noticed a large lacerated wound on the right side of the lower jaw, which was fractured. Blood had been coming from the nostrils and the left ear. He examined the body at the morgue the following morning, and found, in addition to the above mentioned injuries, a fracture of the right collarbone, and also a fracture of two upper ribs on the left side; also two small superficial abrasions on the outer side of the right thigh. The indications of bleeding from nose and ear showed that deceased had suffered a fracture of the base of the skull. He considered that death was due to shock following upon the severe injuries met with. The body was within a foot of the running board of the car when he arrived. He noticed that the macadamised road had been torn up by the spokes of the wheel, and was of opinion that two wheels had collapsed. The car appeared to have gone- off. the road and then come back again. He did not think that the occupants of the car had been dragged by it, or that it had fallen on them. Possibly one of the others had fallen on Watson.
THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED.
George McKenzie Campbell, agent for the British Imperial Oil Co., at Gore, said he left Gore with his brother and Gordon Watson in a Dodge car about 2.15 p.m. on January 17, going to the Riversdale and Balfour Districts. They reached Riversdale about 20 minutes before the train got in, and left again about 15 minutes after the train arrived. He stopped there to speak to Mr Sim. He had no drinks there; he had no liquor at all that day. Watson did not leave the car at all while they were in Riversdale, although his brother (Roderick Campbell) did. His brother was absent from the car for a very short time, and he did not think he had a drink. Witness drove the car all the way. Sim left Riversdale in his car, and they followed very shortly afterwards. He had never been over the road before. He was going at his usual speed. The car had shown a tendency to skid, and being a bit frightened of this he did not go very fast with it. The accident started over the car skidding in loose gravel at the top of the hill. It appeared to him as if the back of the car swung to the right. When he got it straightened, the two righthand wheels were running on the grass, the other two being on the metalled road. He tried to get on to the middle of the road, but the car did not seem to respond very well. He put out the clutch and put on the foot brake. The car then responded better, but just as he was getting it on to the gravel, the right side of the car seemed to collapse and the other two occupants were thrown heavily on to him, knocking his feet off the controls. The car veered towards the left, and he had a job to pull it around to the right, as the others were right against him. He made another attempt to put on the foot brake in order to pull up. The car was then right out of control, and seemed to be jumping on the road. The last he remembered was seeing the fence in front of him, as if the car had swung round and was facing to the left. He remembered that, when they were at the foot of the hill his brother, who was sitting opposite the speedometer, remarked that they were travelling at 25 miles per hour. He had no thought of racing with the car ahead, and made no effort to overtake Sim. There were three of them on the one seat, but there was comfortable room to work the car. He had been driving a car practically every day for four months, and thought himself quite competent.
STOCK AGENT’S STATEMENT.
Frederick Stanley Sim, stock agent, of Balfour, said he was at Riversdale on January 17. He spoke to George Campbell and deceased. Campbell said he was going on to Balfour and would see him there. There was no sign of liquor on either of them. Witness started off for Balfour in his car, Campbell’s car following. He did not look back until he was at the top of the Waimea Hill, when he saw a car which he took to be Campbell’s behind him. Some distance further on he glanced back again and saw a cloud of dust rising up in one place. A few seconds later he looked back again, and the dust was still rising in the same place, while the other car was not in sight. Thinking something might be wrong he went back and found deceased and the two Campbells lying on the ground, all clear of the car. He immediately sent for a doctor. On the way up from Riversdale he was going at a steady 20 to 25 miles per hour, his usual pace. The car was a Ford, and he was in no hurry.
OTHER EVIDENCE.
Vincent O’Connor, farmer, of Kingston Crossing, said that about 5.30 p.m. on January 17 he heard the noise of a car passing the house, going towards Balfour. The car was going at an ordinary pace. He admitted stating to the police that he estimated the speed at 40 miles per hour, but on thinking it over he thought it would be about 20 to 25. He would not swear to 40.
Sergeant Tonkinson: Considering all the circumstances, did you think the car was going too fast?
Witness: No. I have seen a lot of cars going faster since, on the same road.
Continuing, witness said that when the car was passing his place he saw it swerve and turn over three or four times. He rushed across and found that Watson was dead.
George Campbell, recalled, stated that he had not noticed any defect in the car previously.
ACCIDENTAL DEATH.
The Coroner found that Gordon Donald Watson died from injuries received owing to being thrown out of a motor-car, the wheels of which collapsed, the car capsizing, on the Riversdale-Balfour road, on January 17, no blame being attachable to anyone. -Southland Times, 4/2/1925.
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