FATALITY AT SPORTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 47, 26 January 1932, Page 3

FATALITY AT SPORTS

INQUEST ON TRACK RIDER. At the Marten Courthouse on Saturday an inquest was held into the circumstances which led to the death of Albert James Gurney El win, of Bunnythorpo, who lost his life while riding in a motor-cycle race at the Marten motor sports on Friday. Mr F. C. Wilson, (coroner) presided.' Dr Harpur stated that lie 'examined the body after the accident at the racecourse and found that life was extinct. The body bore evidence of a fracture of the skull and u broken neck and death had occurred instantaneously. Deceased had apparently struck his head on a post or a rail, whilst, travelling at a great speed on a motor-cycle. John Gurney Elwin, father of deceased, a farmer residing at Bunnythorpe, -identified the body as that of hii son, who was 22 years of ago. Constable Thompson, who was present at the motor-cyle meeting on Friday, deposed that in tho third lap of the race deceased came down the straight in front of the grandstand in the centre of the course at a speed approximately 65 miles an hour. On nearing the south-west corner he failed to negotiate it and continued straight ahead. His motor-cycle struck a 6in. by 4Ln. totara post and shattered it to pieces. H'a machine continued on and struck another post, breaking it off to the ground. His body then left the machine and was hurled in mid-air for a distance of twenty yards after it left the machine. The body was removed by the St. John Ambulance corps. Witness had examined the motor-cycle. He found the steering in good order and tho throttle of the machine was turned full on. The front wheel was torn out of its bracket.

To the Coroner: It appeared to him that the rider could not negotiate the corner on account of the speed at which lie was travelling. He had a clear course to ride on. Robert Hislop Turnbull, a member of the St. John Ambulance corps, deposed that ho was on duty at the south-west corner of the course when the seventh race was in progress and corroborated the evidenoe given by Constable Thompson. He picked deceased up and assisted in taking him to the ambulance room. In his opinion life was then extinct and had been instantaneous. There was no movement of the body after it struck the ground. The coroner stated that tho evidence was very clear and concise, and deceased was evidently travelling at an exr c'essive speed when he struck the post and rails and that death was duo through injuries to his scull and neck whilst riding in the race. There was no blamo attachable to anyone.