NO NEGLIGENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 254, 27 October 1938, Page 7

NO NEGLIGENCE.

YOUNG MOTORIST ACQUITTED. FATALITY AT INTERSECTION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday. A medical student, Hilgrove John Gosset, of Sumner, was acquitted by a jury in the Supreme Court to-day on a charge of negligent driving causing death. The trial occupied little more than an hour and the jury was in retirement for about 15 minutes. The trial arose from the death of an elderly pedestrian, Mrs. Selina Elizabeth Mason, who died from injuries received when the accused's car knocked her down at an intersection late one night. Mr. C. S. Thomas represented Gosset. There were no sinister or nasty aspects of the case, said Mr. A. W. Brown, who prosecuted. It was not disputed that the car was on its correct side. There was no suggestion that it wiu going at any great speed. The headlights were burning and the car was in good order. There was no suggestion of anyone concerned in the accident having had liquor. The only question for the jurv to decide was whether at the moment of the accident or for a few moments preceding it the accused had been negligent in not keeping a proper look out. Mr. Thomas claimed in hi<% address that the accident had been one of those unfortunate happenings for which neither the pedestrian nor the motorist was to blame. Conditions at that corner on that night had been such as to excuse the motorist for not seeing the woman, who had been dressed in dark clothing.