DRIVER NOT GUILTY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 33, 2 November 1934, Page 15

DRIVER NOT GUILTY

/ ■ ' Sequel to Motor Fatality s By Telegraph;—Press Association. i Auckland, October 31. The trial of Douglas Campbell Purdie, a solicitor, on a charge...©! negligently driving a motor-car and causing, the-death of a child, Ruth Boatrice Warburton, was concluded before Mr. Justice. Fair in the Court today.' .; The case arose from a collision between a car driven by accused and one driven, by ■ /be deceased’s father at an intersection at Remuera- on July 20. In summing up, his Hduohr said the accident was„of a type unfortunately frequent. .No doubt the death of the child was-.deplored as deeply by accused as by anyone else,' bit it had to be remembered that a person in charge of a motor-car was in . charge pf a.dangerous thing. Since cars had become so common, their danger hud pe.rhap's been lost sight of. It ofjten happened that a person charged in such .a case was of good character and a person not likely to be charged with any other offence. The Jury, however, must, put that thought out of their ■minds. It was generally known that where'there was any doubt as to which motorist should proceed at a crossing the benefit was usually given the driven on the right. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty andmccu'sed was'discharged.