SEQUEL TO MOTOR COLLISION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 49, 26 August 1911, Page 9

SEQUEL TO MOTOR COLLISION

DAMAGES AWARDED. ffiS TSfcHQftAPfi—SfKCIAL TO tm JttST.} t>ALMERSTON. N., This Day. At the Supreme Court yesterday, before Hi& Honour the Chief Justice and a jury of twelve, *>endix Christeflsen sued George Green for negligent driving of his motor car and mjury caused to plaintiff thereby. The claim was for £1026 damages. Mr. J. Gifford Moore appeared for plaintiff and Messrs. J. B: Innea and 0. A. Loughnan-for defendant. ' Mr. Moore, in opening the case, eaid the plaintiff had been working for the Borough Council for some years. On 13th May he was riding home on a bieyelo, When passing Blackburne's place on the Foxton line he heard a motor car coming along. The next thing he knew was a motor car knocking him down. The car stopped about two chains away. Plaintiff got up and picked his bicycle up. The car was carrying a bicycle, and the wheel was protruding over" the car body and struck pteihtiff. Chmtensen told Green that he would have to pay fat the damage to the bicycle, whereupon defendant rushed him and threatened and abused him. Christensen then went to the police station in a, cab and fnade a com« plaint, He was under the doctors' for some time and had not been able to work since and will wever be able to work again. He asked fox £950 for the injury to hi& health and £75 for medical and Other" expense*. Several witnesses were called on both sides, including four medical practigoners, who gave evidence re the injuries received by plaintiff and the stale of his health. In addressing tho jury for the defence Mr. Innes said it would be almost impossible for the wheel of the bicycle' in me car to strike plaintiff in the small of the back. By experiment it was shown that if the plaintiff was struck by the wheel he Would have been struck about two inches below the shoulder. It had been suggested that when the car was passing plaintiff^ he being a nervous man, wobbled and hte bike struck some part cf the motor car, or th© ground being wet the bicycle skidded. The jury brought in a verdict for special damages £75 and general damages £2?5. ( His Honour said he Would entsr up judgment accordingly, with coste according to scale and disbursements.