MOTORISTS IN COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 14 April 1926, Page 9

MOTORISTS IN COURT.

O ’CALLAGHAN v. HAWKE-

The hearing of the motor collision case, O’Callaghan v. Hawke, claim and counter-claim, was resumed before Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court at Hawera, at 2.30 p.m. to-day. Charles Sattier, employed by O ’Callaghan as a car salesman, .said that on the day of the accident he was driving a car along the Hastings Road in the direction of Lowgartn from Matapu. The car contained five passengers. Approaching the intersection of the Eltliam Road he was travelling at about 15 to 16 miles an hour. Before reaching the corner lie sounded his horn, and on reaching the intersection saw a car travelling on the Eltham Road: This car, coming from the direction of Kaponga, was three or four times- further away from the middle of the- intersection than the car driven by witness, and he estimated he would have ample time to cross before the other car arrived at the middle of the intersection. He was almost on the Lowgarth side of the intersection, the whole car being beyond the middle .of the intersection, when his car was struck by the other. With two models, witness demonstrated -the position in which he contended the oars engaged, Hawke's car having struck the one driven by witness at ta (tangent from the Eitbam Road, and the front- right wheel having locked -behind the left front wheel oil witness’ oar, pushing the latter obliquely towards the other side of the intersection. The engine of witness’s car had .been 1 considerably damaged. One of his passengers, Mr. Dwyer, who was seated in the rear on the- left hand side, had his collarbone broken and was rendered (practically unconscious, and a. gill passenger had sustained cuts on her hip. From the -skill marks and the distance Hawke’s car had pushed the one driven by witness, he (witness) estimated the speed of the former at 50 miles an hour when the impact took place. In reply to an accusation of speeding made by one of witness’s passengers, Hawke had said lie was on the main road.' The length of Hawke’s skid mark was 48 feet. Referring to Hawkeis contention that he was on the main road, witness gave- the opinion that the Hastings Road was just as much -a. main road ns the Eltha-m Road. To Mr. Brodie witness affirmed that when he first saw Hawke’s ear it was three or four times as far from the middle of the intersection as witness’s car. When witness was half a chain from the corner, Hawke was at least 18) chains from it. He could not estimate the speed of Hawke’s car at, the time when he first saw it. (Left sitting.)