Frederick Donald TILBROOK [2488]

  General Notes:

1921 SA Birth TILBROOK Frederick Donald, Albert Arthur TILBROOK Jessie THOMPSON Port Adelaide 78A/600
1921 SA Birth TILBROOK Albert Arthur, Albert Arthur TILBROOK Jessie THOMPSON Port Adelaide 78A/600 (Cross Reference: See also: TILBROOK Frederick Donald)

Resides: Western Australia

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) Wednesday 12 January 1938
TROLLEY DRIVER HIT ON PORT ROAD
Motorist Committed For Trial
CORONER ON NEED FOR CARE
The City Coroner (Mr. Blackburn) at an inquest held in the Coroner's Court yesterday found that Walter John Thomas Hayward, 50, fruiterer, of Ninth street, Bowden, died at the Adelaide Hospital on December 27 from broncho-pneumonia following injuries received on November 4, at Woodville, when a trolley, which he was driving, was struck by a motor car driven by Kenneth Arthur Paterson. salesman of Prospect. The Coroner said that the collision occurred on a clear dry day shortly before noon, and the trolley was struck from the rear by the motor car on a one-way traffic road. It was not suggested that any other vehicle upon the road prevented the driver of the motorcar from passing the trolley in safety in fact, he must have had about 15 feet at least of clear bitumen road on the right of the trolly. The driver of the car gave his evidence in a very frank, straight forward manner. He stated that he saw the trolley, which was then well over on its correct side, when he was about 140 yards in the rear of it; that he was then on the right-hand side of the bitumen, on a course which would have enabled him to safely pass the trolley; but he then heard a sudden rattle in his car that he leaned over to investigate the rattle that, for at least 75 yards before the impact he did not see the trolley; that he continued travelling onwards without being able to see what was in front of him until almost the moment of impact, and that he did not realise that his vision was obscured, or that a collision was imminent. It was quite clear upon the evidence, continued the Coroner, that the driver of the trolley did not alter his course or veer more towards the centre of the road. An independent eyewitness stated that the driver of the car was on the left-hand side of the road and not the right, and that the collision occurred while he was trying to swerve out to pass the trolley The Coroner said that he had given careful thought to the explanation tendered by the driver of the car. Drivers of motor vehicles must bear in mind always that they were in charge of vehicles which moved rapidly, and if not handled with care might become lethal weapons. In his opinion the explanation given by the driver of the car was not sufficient satisfaction for what happened to explain the prima facie Inference from the facts of the collision that the driver was guilty of that degree of negligence contemplated by Section 14 of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act, 1935, and it was therefore his duty to commit Paterson for trial at the next Criminal sittings for an offence against that section. Paterson was allowed bail In a personal bond of £50 and one surety of £50. Mr. V. R. Millhouse appeared for Paterson. and Plainclothes Constable E. J. Davis assisted the coroner.
Trolley Kept Straight Course:
Frederick Donald Tilbrook, assistant, of Gilbert street, Bowden, stated that he was travelling on the trolley driven by Hayward, and was sitting alongside the driver. The trolley was hauled by, a single horse, and was travelling on the left-hand side of the road. The horse was trotting slowly. He did not hear any warning sound, and there was a clear road in front. An impact occurred at the back, and the witness was thrown out. The trolley had not deviated from a straight course. The witness found himself in the gutter, and was taken to the Adelaide Hospital and treated. John Barr Edge, traveller, of Kensington road, Kensington, said that he was driving his motor car along the Port road in the direction of Adelaide, and raw a motor sedan in front of him about 100 yards ahead. He did not then see the trolley. The car was on the bitumen a few feet from the metal. The motor hit the trolley, which had not deviated. The car seemed to have run straight into the trolley. The witness was travelling at 30 miles an hour and was catching up on the other car. Ruby Elizabeth Cunningham, married, of the Esplanade, Largs Bay, said that she was walking along the footpath of the Port road, towards Adelaide, and when approaching Mitchell's garage noticed a horse-drawn trolley travelling towards Adelaide on the left hand side of the bitumen. She noticed a blue colored motor sedan travelling in the same direction as the trolley. The car seemed to be drawing out to pass the trolley, but the left-hand mudguard appeared to strike the right-hand rear side of the trolley. The impact caused everything to be thrown in the air, and the deceased fell about half-way be tween the edge of the bitumen and the gutter. The car went on a little distance and then stopped. She remained until the police arrived. She did not hear any hooter or warning sound.
Car Driver's Evidence:
Kenneth Arthur Paterson, salesman, of Kintore avenue, Prospect, having been cautioned by the Coroner, said that on November 4 he was driving his motor car along the Port road, Woodville. There was no other person In the car. He was travelling on the right-hand side of the road, having passed a double decker bus and harvester, about 120 yards before the impact. He saw the trolley about 140 yards ahead, travelling on the left side of the road towards Port Adelaide. There was a sudden rattle in the car, and he reached over to see if the door were loose, then took hold of the hand brake. He was travelling from 25 to 30 miles an hour. He looked up after testing the hand brake and found the cowl of the ventilator was open. He looked up and could not see the trolley from his position. The next thing he felt an impact with his left mudguard and he applied the brake and pulled the wheel to the right. He took the car clear of the wreckage and stopped. To the Coroner, the witness said that he would be about 75 yards from the troliey when he leaned down to test his hand brake. He was then on the extreme right of the road. He was not conscious of the fact when he leaned down that the trolley was passing out of his view. He accounted for that as; he knew he was giving the trolley plenty of clearance, and did not realise the pace at which the trolley was travelling; He thought he had ample time to resume his position, and in doing so he must have Turned the steering wheel. He had just looked up when the impact occurred.