MOTORIST CONVICTED FOR BREACH OF RIGHT-HAND RULE

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 October 1949, Page 2

MOTORIST CONVICTED FOR BREACH OF RIGHT-HAND RULE

A charge which followed an accident >at the intersection of Guinness and Tarapuhi streets, Greymouth, on August 5, was defended by Ronson William Clarke, clerk, of . Greymouth, in the Magistrate’s Court at dreymouth this morning. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to give way to a vehicle on his right. It was stated by Inspector Macefield in evidence that the defendant’s car was driving north along Tarapuhi street and was more than halfway across the intersection with Guinness street when it was struck about the right-hand rear wheel' by a Post - ' and Telegraph Department truck travelling west along Guinness ‘Street In a statement made by defendant it was said that visibility to the right was obscured, by parked cars, and it was not until a second look to the right had been, made that the approaching truck had been seen. The truck, it was alleged, was travelling at an excessive speed, and when seen defendant’s car was too far across the intersection to stop. Questioned by Mr C. R. McGinley (counsel for the defendant) as to why no information had been laid against the driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision. Inspector Macefield said he could not say. A ticket had been issued, and the file regarding the accident had been sent to Wellington to the Commissioner of Transport. Evidence for the prosecution was given by William James Lindsay, driver of the truck, ‘ who denied charges of excessive, speed made by counsel. “The case for the defence will be that the defendant discharged his onus by looking to the right, seeing that the road was clear, looking to the left and then looking to the right again when 10 to 12ft on the intersection, “said Mr McGinley. “It was then that the other car was seen, but it was considered best to continue rather than to brake as otherwise a collision would have been inevitable.” The plan, said Mr McGinley, showed that Clarke’s, car was more than half-way across the intersection when struck and swung around. Had the other truck continued on normally there would have been no collision, he suggested. Evidence was given by defendant and Duncan Hardie, an observer of the collision. . “On the evidence, I am satisfied that the defendant has been guilty of a breach of the right-hand, rule, for, though it is highly probable that his vision was obscured by parked 'cars, it does not relieve him necessarily of his responsibility,” said the Magistrate, Mr F, F. Reid S. M. “At the same time, it is not a bad offence, and I am satisfied that the position will be met by the entering of a conviction, and the nayment of costs.’Accordingly the defendant was convicted and ordered to pay court costs, 10s. Gladstone Accident

Arising out of an accident on the Greymouth-Kumara highway on September 19, Sydney George Charles Common, of Riccarton, Christchurch, was charged with driving a motorcar without due care and attention. A plea of guilty was entered on his behalf by Mr W. D. Taylor. . . . . Senior-Sergeant R. C. Mcßobie said that the accident occurred about 9 p.m., near. Gladstone. A man and his wife were walking along the road when the defendant came up from behind and knocked both of them ever. The road was 18 feet wide and it was proved that the people were walking on the edge of the dry surface. As a result of the accident the woman was seriously injured and was still in hospital. Mi’ Taylor said that the defendant was a returned man, with an amputated leg. On the day of the accident he had driven from Christchurch and no doubt the long journey had had some considerable effect. There was no question of speed and it seemed that the accident was due to a moment’s inattention or distraction. After it, the defendant did all he could under the circumstances. . # . The defendant was fined £6, with 10s costs. . . On a charge of driving a motortruck on the Kumar a-Mitchells highway on June 26, when he was not the holder of a driver’s! licence, Janies Alan Shaffrey was fined £l, With 10s costs. Mr C. R. McGinley, who entered a plea of guilty on behalf of the defendant, said that the defendant had been seriously injured in the accident which led to the charge and was still under treatment at Dunedin. Dangerous Driving Howard Gordon Smith, a commercial traveller, of Christchurch, was charged with driving a motor-car on Tainui street, Greymouth, at a speed which, having regard to all of the circumstances, might have been dangerous to the public. Traffic Inspector Macefield stated that the defendant had driven for half a mile down Tainui street at between 52 and 53 miles an hour, passing two schools, from which children were coming. Traffic was busy on the street. The defendant, who pleaded guilty by letter, was convicted and fined £3 (10s costs). , Arnold Albert Thomas, commercial traveller, of Hokitika, was fined £2 (10s costa) for failing to keep his motor-car as close as practicable to the left pf the. roadway. It was stated that the defendant, when followed, drove on his incorrect side of the road for m'ost of one and a half miles, and vehicles had been unable to pass him. On the information of Inspector A. E. Macefield, of’the Transport Department, Samuel Merlin Case was charged with operating a heavy motor vehicle, without being the holder of a heavy traffic licence. Pleading guilty, he was convicted and discharged, having explained to the court that he had been waiting, to get his newly-purchased vehicle weighed. A charge of cycling on the Taylorville footbridge laid against Richard Thurlow Watson by. Alexander Day, as inspector for the Brunner Borough Council, was stated to be the first charge of this nature brought for a number of years. It was aimed at reducing the number of offences. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay court costs, 10s, and solicitor’s fee, £1 Ils 6d. .