COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21974, 24 December 1936, Page 13

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

NEGLIGENT RIDING OF MOTOR-CYCLE TWO CHILDREN INJURED AT LYTTELTON As a result of a motor-cycle accident on the Corsair Bay road on November 21, Allan .Stuart Mac Donald, aged 38 years, unemployed, appeared at the Magistrate's Cc;... at Lyttelton yesterday on three charges—negligently riding a motor-cycle thereby causing bodily injury to Dorothy Muriel. Morton and Lawrence Mcrvyn Morton; conversion to his own use, but not so as to be guilty of theft, of a motoi -cycle owned by Lawrence Treleavcn and valued at £45; and riding a motor-cycle without being the holder of a licens-?. He pleaded guilty to the last two charges. Mr A. S. Geddes appeared for Mac Donald. Dr. C. H. Upham gave evidence that he attended the two Morton children at their home. The girl had a fractured ulna and abrasions of an arm and hand and was suffering from shock. The boy had two scalp wounds, abrasions of the arms and legs, and a wound on the cheek. Gladys Thomson, aged 11 years, said that she was walking towards Corsair Bay and had a baby in a push-cart, and the two Morton chil. '•en with her. At Bundy's corner in Brittan terrace, witness was carrying the baby. She heard a motor-cycle coming behind her. It sounded very close. She saw it coming on to the footpath. Witness swung the biiby against the fence and the motor-cycle passed her about a yard ofT. knocking down the other two children and striking a concrete post in the fence. The ride Mac Donald, got up and clung to the fence. She did not think the motor-cycle was going very fast at the time.

Dorothy Muriel Morion, aged 11 years, said she did not remember hearing or seeing the : otor-cycle and did not remember being knocked down or being taken home. "A Terrific Speed" Margaret Wilson, a housemaid employed by Mrs J. D. 3undy, said she was in front of the house when she saw a motor-cycle travelling toward Corsair Bay at a terriiic speed. The driver had one hand in the air. The motorcycle was absolutely out of control. After mounting the footpath it hit a concrete post and then rebounded on to the footpath and hit the children. The rider, Mac Donald, got up and. without looking near the children, set off to walk towards Lyttelton. To Mr Geddcs: She could not estimate the speed. Mac Donal". was bleeding when he got up. Allan Malcolm Gibson, aged 17 years. said the motor-cycle was making a great noise and sounded as if it was travelling at high speed. He saw the. children on the footpath about seven yards from him. The motor-cycle turned the corner well on its correct side. The rider was dragging his left leg. and was travelling fast. Witness estimated the ppeed at between 30 and 35 miles an hour. The rider had only one hand on the handle-bar. His left hand was up in the air, and he appeared to be waving to somebody further back. Phyllis Samson, a domestic, said she was walking towards Corsair Bay. Approaching Bundy's corner Mac Donald, who was a friend of her's, overtook her on a motor-cycle. As he passed he waved to her and she waved back. The motor-cycle was travelling at a high speed. Constable C. A. Jackways gave evidence that the motor-cycle was badly damaged. He questioned the accused at the latter's home the same afternoon. Mac Donald asked, "Who hit me?" He could not remember having been on a motor-cycle. On December 17 witness again interviewed Mac Donald at the police station. He could not remember what had happened on November 21, except calling at a shop. He had never previously been in the garage where the motor-cycle was garaged. Mac Donald said he had only ridden pillion-fashion on motor-cycles previously, but had been for a time employed at a garage, where he had gained some knowledge of motorcycles. Mr Geddes said he could very JiWle regarding the case. Mac Donald had received concussion and could remember very little. He was only 18 years of arge. and counsel asked that his name be suppressed. The magistrate: No. He lives in Lyttelton and half the population already k:.o\v ''bout if.

The accused pleaded guilty, and was committed lo appear at the Supreme Court on Februarv 9 for sentence. On the other two charges hf> was convicted and remanded In appear at the Magistrate's Court on February 24 for sentence. Bail was allowed in self £SO and one purely of SI-50. a condition being lhat he report weekly to the police at Ly It el ton.