Motorist Fined for Negligent Driving.

Franklin Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 126, 30 October 1936, Page 5

Motorist Fined for Negligent Driving.

MAN KNOCKED OVER.

EAST ROAD INCIDENT.

SEQUEL IN COURT. The sequel to a man being knocked over by a motor-car in East i*oad, Pukekohe, on the night of October 1 was heard in the Pukekohe Court yesterday, John Dean of Pokeno, being fined for negligent driving. He was defended by Mr F. A. Hosking. Evidence was given by Leonard John Benge, farmer of Pukekohe East, that at about 8.30 p.m. he was walking along East road toward his home. The moon was shining brightly and visibility was good. Hearing a car coming behind he and his wife kept to the edge of the bitumen. The car struck witness, knocking him over, breaking a bone in one foot, and badly bruising him. When defendant was turning the car to take witness to the doctor the vehicle bumped into a bank. Witness lapsed into unconsciousness. To Mr Hosking he said his recollection of events following the accident was not clear.

Knocked Into the Mud.

Mrs Mary Jane Routly Benge toid the court that she was on her husband’s left, he walking on the left edge of the bitumen. Before stopping, Dean’s car travelled about 60ft. Witness said her husband was knocked into the mud. She and Dean put Benge into the rear of the car after Benge had walked to the vehicle. Her husband was at his request later transferred to a taxi.

Edgar Arthur Dix said he was driving a taxi toward Pukekohe East when’ he passed a car which was stopped on the bitumen. He late;.' saw the car, a large model which w'ould be difficult to handle, turning at a side road. The rear mudguard touched a bank as the car was being reversed. Defendant was driving in a somewhat erratic manner, and finding it difficult to pass witness was obliged to go into the mud. " Witness stopped Dean at the top of the “doctor’s hill” to ask him what he meant by putting witness’ car into the mud. Defendant asked for an explanation as to why he was stopped. Benge and his wife requested witness to drive them to a doctor. When he saw Dean some time later in the evening defendant said the reason why he pulled over on the road was probably because he was holding the injured man or talking to him. Dix could not say whether Benge was in the front or the rear seat.

Constable W. Mawhinney stated that on October 16 defendant called at the police station to give a statement. This was to the effect that the car had started from halfway down the hill and was being driven between 15 and 20 miles an hour. He swerved slightly. to the left on seeing what he thought was a horseman Or an animal. He was a car length away when he saw two people, Benge, who was Oft. front the left, of the bitumen, was touched by the mudguard. The injured man was placed in the front seat and supported by witness’ left hand. The taxi passed his car on the incorrect side.

13 Feet of Bitumen.

Constable F. T. Wakelin said there was 18ft. of. bitumen where the accident occurred. On the left was 1 Of;, of clay, which was boggy and on the right lift. The road was straight and flat at the spot, 70 yards from the bottom of the hill.

Mr Hosking said defendant considered the rear of the car struck Benge. Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., said he had no reason to doubt that Mrs Benge was walking on the clay portion ox the road and that as she said her husband was picked up on the clay. He held that defendant was negligent and fined him £2 with costs totalling £2 7s.

KING STREET ACCIDENT. A plea of guilty to negligent driving in King street on September 27 was entered by William Douglas Fallows of Puni. “It is a clear case where you did not observe the right-hand rule,” said the magistrate in fining him £2 10s with 15s costs.

Constable Wakelin said a collision took place between defendant’s car and one driven by Mrs Weston, two children being injured. The car approached on defendant’s right. In a statement defendant said he was unable to see owing to a discoloured side-cur-tain, which had been repaired only two weeks previously.