YOUTH INJURED

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 106, 7 May 1931, Page 12

YOUTH INJURED

MOTOR-CYCLE TANGLE

COLLISION WITH CAR

Four motor-cycles and a motor-car figured in an accident 'which occurred on the main road near Tawa Flat on 4th January, 1931. The sequel was heard in tho Supreme Court to-day, wlicn one of the motor-cyclists, Charles Wilson Little, aged 19, claimed £614 Is 6d damages from Lyell Rolston, labourer, of Tawa Flat.

The.case was heard before Mr. Justice Blair and a jury. Mr. H. J. V. James, appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. E. .Parry for .the defendant.

The, statement. of claim alleged that the defendant had. driven on to the main .r.oad through a gate, and had collided,, first, with a motor-cycle ridden by a. youth named Adeock, and thea with the plaintiff's machine. It was further, alleged that the defendant had been negligent in: (1) Failing to give sufficient.-or .any' warning of his approach; ,(2) failing to keep a proper look-out; (3) failing to give way to traffic on his right-hand side; (4) failing to go on, to the proper side of the road; (5) colliding with Adcock's motor-cycle and placing the plaintiff in a position of peril; (6) backing his car after the. first collision and failing to look out for traffic. The plaintiff was injured about the feet, and bis machine damaged. He claimed £114 Is Gd special, and £500 general damages. As a defence it was pleaded that if there had been any negligence on the defendant's part (which was denied), it neither caused nor contributed to the collision with the plaintiff's motor-cycle. It was urged that the real, or at least a contributing, cause of the collision in question was the plaintiff's negligence in driving at an excessive speed, failing to ; give sufficient warning of his approach, failing to keep a proper look-out, failing to stop after the first collision, and attempting _to pass the motor-car on the wrong side. In opening his case, Mr. James said that there were four motor-cycles concerned in the mishap. When the defendant came out on to 'the main road the first motor-cyclist managed to get through on the right side The second, Adcoek, with his ■pillion-rider, was overturned, and.suffered minor, injuries. Tew, the third rider, went into the' ditch on the left of the car, and Little, having no option but.to attempt to pass .on the same side, collided with the car when it was backed. . The motor-cycles, according to the plaintiff, wero travelling .at between 23 and 35 miles an hour. Witness was m hospital for eight weeks, and underwent two operations. It was necessary to graft skin from eleven parts of his body on to an injured foot. ■ The hearing of evidence is proeced-