FATAL ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 171, 21 July 1936, Page 8

FATAL ACCIDENT.

MAORI ON TRIAL.

NEGLIGENT DRIVING ALLEGED

QUESTION OF LIQUOR,

A charge of negligent driving while in ii state of intoxication, causing the death of W. P. Mt-Cauley, on the Taneatua-Whakatane road on March 14, 1930, was preferred against Peter Paul (Mr. Hogben) in «the Supreme Court to-day before Mr. Justice Callan and a jury. The accused, a three-quartoi cast Maori, pleaded not guilty. Mr. V. X. Hubble, who prosecuted, said the fatality occurred on a straight road, when there was no other tiaflic. The accused had been in , Whakatane with McC'iuiley, and had two or three drinks there. They went to Taneatua in a motor truck driven by the accused and had more drink. It was on the return to Wliakatane, after 0 o'clock at night, that the accident happened. In a statement to the police accused said that a car was coming towards him, and he pulled to the side out of its lights. The truck got on loose metal, and when he put on the brake his foot slipped on to the accelerator. 1 lie ti uck overturned. It was dusk and rain was falling. Accused estimated his speed at 30 mileis an hour. It was for the jury to say if this was a safe speed, said Mr. Hubble. Evidence was given by H. C. Alexander, licensee of the Taneatua Hotel, that accused was in the hotel between 5.30 and 0 p.m., and had some drink?. To Mr. Ilogben: It may have been only two shandies. Dr. J. C. Wadmore, of Wliakatane, said that he was called to the scene of tlio accident. He considered that accused's judgment would be impaired by the liquor he had consumed. Accused was not incapably drunk.

(Proceeding.)