HUTT COLLISION

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 250, 20 July 1939, Page 6

HUTT COLLISION

Damages Agreed Upon

As the result of a collision between a taxi and a bicycle near the traffic island at the western approach to the Hutt Bridge, a claim -for damages was heard by the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, and a jury of 12 in the Supreme Court, Wellington. Plaintiff was Reginald Charles Robinson, bricklayer, Lower Hutt, for whom Mr. O. C. Mazengarb appeared, and defendant was William James Trigger, taxidriver, Lower Hutt, whose case was conducted by Mr. E. Parry. In his statement of claim plaintiff said that on the evening of October 27 last he was riding his bicycle in Railway Avenue approaching the bridge and at the same time defendant was driving his car in the same direction as, and behind, him. Defendant, it was alleged, negligently ran plaintiff down. As a result of the collision plaintiff received injuries, the most serious of which was a fracture of the left leg. He claimed £535 general damages and £265 special damages. . The statement of defence denied that defendant was driving in the same direction as and behind plaintiff. Defendant denied that he ran plaintiff down and that he was negligent, but he admitted that a collision occurred. Alternatively defendant said that if he was negligent, which he denied, plaintiff contributed to the accident by his own negligence. . \ When plaintiff’s case had finished counsel conferred and Mr. Mazengarb then announced that Mr. Parry had offered £6OO and costs in full settlement and that plaintiff had agreed to accept that. Judgment was entered accordingly-