NEGLIGENT DRIVING ALLEGED

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27892, 14 February 1956, Page 9

NEGLIGENT DRIVING ALLEGED

LOWER COURT HEARING AT HOKITIKA

(New Zealand Press Association) HOKITIKA, February 13.

A charge of negligently driving so as to cause the death of William Allan Moseley was brought against John Matthew Gilbert, aged 24, single, medical supply representative, of 196 Moorhouse avenue, Christchurch, in the Hokitika Magistrate’s Court. The charge arose out of a fatal accident on the Hokitika-Greymouth highway at Awatuna about 1 a.m. on January 1. Gilbert was also charged with failing to stop after an accident and failing to ascertain if anyone had been injured.

Moseley was killed instantly when he was struck by a car which came up behind his own parked car after he had stopped to change a tyre. He was returning to his home in Greymouth with his family after visiting a New Year’s Eve fireworks display in Hokitika.

The hearing was before Messrs R. Paterson and J. F. Jellie (Arahura), Justices of the Peace, and after evidence had been heard they committed the accused for trial on all charges in the Supreme Court at Greymouth on February 27.

Gilbert pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence. He was allowed bail in his own recognisance of £lOO, with a surety of a similar amount, and was ordered to report to the police each week.

Sergeant T. Steele. Greymouth, appeared for the prosecution, and Mr W. D. Taylor, Greymouth, appeared for the accused.

Mr Paterson said that the evidence taken would also be deemed to be relevant to an inquest into the cause of the death of William Allan Moseley. Mr R. A. Young. Christchurch, appeared for the relatives ®f Moseley in conjunction with the inquest, which was adjourned sine die pending the Supreme Court trial.