DEATH OF HUSBAND

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 270, 29 October 1932, Page 7

DEATH OF HUSBAND

WIDOW’S CLAIM TOR DAMAGES. FATAL MOTOR COLLISION. Palmerston N., Oct. 28. A claim for £2OOO damages by Caroline Annie Forrest, widow, of Palmerston North, against Carl Petersen, sawmill proprietor, of Foxton, is being heard in the Supreme Court by Mr. Justice Blair and a jury of twelve. The claim is the outcome of a collision on the Foxton line on July 17 between a baby car driven by plaintiff’s deceased husband and a motorlorry belonging to defendant, and driven by James George Coley. Plaintiff alleges negligence on the part of Coley to be the cause of the accident, which is completely denied in the statement of defence filed. The defence alleges that plaintiff’s husband was negligent and that the accident was due to his negligence. The case has been proceeding since Wednesday afternoon. The jury found the driver of defendant’s lorry was negligent in driving slightly over the centre of the road, and that plaintiff’s husband was negligent in driving too near the centre of the road. Also, that up to the time of the impact, both drivers could have avoided the accident by the use of rea. sonable care. The jury assessed damages for the widow at £5OO. Counsel for defendant moved for judgment with costs. Counsel for plaintiff was granted leave to apply for a new trial-