NEGLIGENCE ALLEGED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 253, 22 July 1936, Page 2

NEGLIGENCE ALLEGED

Charge Against Well-known Farmer MOTOR-CYCLIST’S DEATH By Telegraph—Press Association. N'cw Plymouth, July 21. The hearing was continued to-diiy of a charge of negligent driving so as to cause death against Samuel Edward George Hawke, a well-known farmer of Pitone Road, Tataraimaka. The case is one which arose out of the death of a farm employee. Leonard Wylie ’Blanchard, aged 26, on June 11, through a collision between a motorcycle lie was riding and a motor-truck allegedly driven by the accused. Tlie coroner’s inquest and the police prosecution in the Lower Court are being heard simultaneously. Thomas Jury, who was a pillionrider on Blanchard's machine and was injured, said that they saw a vehicle approaching. They were travelling on the correct side at 'about 20 miles an hour. The vehicle was about four chains away, in the centre of the road, but it went to its correct side. When it was about 20 yards away it swayed aerbss in front of them. He felt Blanchard apply the brakes, and it seemed that nothing could avoid the accident. He remembered the crash, but that was the last he remembered. He could not tell what kind, of vehicle It was, nor could he say whether it had stopped. , Dr. Phillip Patrick Lynch, pathologist, Wellington, stated that he examined the motor-cycle of deceased and the motor-lorry of accused. The mudguard of the lorry had very distinct markings on it. A smear an I depression in the metal were consistent as regards position and appearance with having been caused by a glancing blow from the rubber end of the handlebar of a motor-cycle. Dr. Lynch also gave evidence regarding green paint on overcoat buttons and paint on portion of the motortruck. ' Evidence was also given by Sergeant S. G. Clist, ’wild visited the scene of the fatality at Oakiira on the evening of June 11, The sergeant visited Hawke’s home and took him, his companion,’ R. B. Gray, and a motor-truck, which had a dent in the mudguardj to the police station. Fifteen of the 30 Crown witnesses had been heard when the court adjourned to allow Hawke to attend his sister’s funeral.