CARS AND DRIVERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 May 1928, Page 8

CARS AND DRIVERS

DUNEDIN ACCIDENT. (Per Press Association.! DUNEDIN, May 30. John Brough, aged about 20, residing at 264, Main North Road, was ad mitted to the hospital at 6.40 this evening, suffering from injuries to th 6 head and legs, received through beingrun into by a motor car, while riding a motor cycle in Georgb Street. KILLED BY MOTOR-CYCLE AUCKLAND, May 30. An inquest was held to-day regarding the death of Esther Yetta Phillips, who was killed on the night of April 29, by being struck by a motorcycle, driven by William Edward Paynter, in Adelaide Road. The evidence showed that deceased was one of a party that left the footpath and was walking on the road because there was clay ahead. The City Council Traffic Inspector, who examined the machine after the accident, stated that a test of the brakes showed that they were not in proper working order. Defendant, aged 18, said the machine was not his, but he was told by the owner that it was all right. The Magistrate said a pedestrian’s proper place was on the footpath. Evidence showed that the speed of the machine was not unreasonable. From the evidence given regarding) the brakes, however, it was doubtful if the machine could have been stopped in time. The only verdict was an open one, as there appeared to have been some neglect on the part of deceased. He added that the pedestrians did not have the least opportunity to avoid the accident as that opportunity was with the person approaching.

WOMAN’S SERIOUS INJURIES. WELLINGTON, May 31. ' Mrs. W. Ward was knocked down last night, by a motor car, and admitted to the hospital, with a fractured skull. Her condition was serious today. Guilio Nervi, Italian fisherman, was charged with being intoxicated while in charge of a car, and also with causing Mrs. Ward’s injuries. He was remanded to June S, on bail. BLACKMAIL ALLEGED HAMILTON, May . 30. An unusual case of alleged/attempted blackmail was heard at the Magistrate’s Court to-day. Cuthbert Sidney Whyman, a lorry driver, was charged with attempting to extort money from a former employer, Henry Langguth, of Rotorua, by a threatening letter accusing Langguth of arranging with Whyman for the burning of a truck. Whyman, in a statement to the police, had repeated the accusation against Langguth, alleging that the latter promised him £5O for burning a truck which Langguth said was well insured. Langguth, in evidence, gave a complete denial. He said he had not known the amount of the insurance, as the policy was held by a Wellington firm under a hire-purchase agreement. The prosecution called witnesses who testified that Whymann had indicated that the fire was accidental. Whyman, who was committed for trial, is middle-aged and married. Bail was allowed. BULLET HITS CAR. CHRISTCHURCH, May 30. While C. Hayward, Christchurch, was driving a motor car on the main North Road, near Domett, this morning, the glass side-screen of the car was completely shattered by a bullet. It was some time afterwards that Hayward discovered the cause of the smash, when he discovered a .22 bullet in his pocket. His coat was not penetrated, but the bullet, a spent one, had struck him lightly, and had fallen into his open pocket.