QUESTION OF SPEED

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 248, 21 October 1914, Page 7

QUESTION OF SPEED

AGAINST A MOTORIST

Charged in the Magistrate's Court yesjfcerday morning with, having driy--en a motor-car at a speed dangerous to the public, Patrick Branton pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr G. M. Spenoe. Sergeant Hanson called Charier Whelan, who said that h© was walking across Market. Place near the cornor of tho Blenheim P.ost Office at about eighit o'clock on Saturday a the 10th inst., when the defendant came along with his car from the direction -of High Street "at a rapid pace. The witness jumped aside on1 to the footpath, about five fee\t distant, and had scarcely reached it when the car had gone over the position he vacated1. There were several people about. He went to Constable Quayle, who was ■an duty, and took him across to the rotunda stand, on which Brandon had ■drawn up, and he accused the defendant of having come through the crowd at a dangerous speed. The defendant traversed' the right side of the thoroughfare; if he had taken the left-side he would have had plenty of jooro. 2<t seemed to him that the defendant travelled at a rate exceeding twelve miles an hour. Constable Quiiyle, giving evidence, eaid that he saw the defendant, approach the rotunda. If Mr "WK'p'i/' had been a less active man he have been run over. Branton admitted to him (that he was travelling at the rate of 10 or 12 miles an hour. His Worship put the following questions to the witnesses: Having regard to the circumstances of the •case, do you think! Ahe was driving at a speed and in a manner dangerous to (the public?— The replies were in the affirmative. Mr Spence called the defendant, who said that the route he took was along the right side of High Street in front of Mr F. W. Adams's sliop. At tha/t point he could see a clear track to the place he occupied on the taxi-stand, and : , he proceeded along it. Mr Whelari appeared to come directly from behind a crowd near the rotunda, and, getting near the ■car, seemed to become slightly confused. In consequence the witness became somewhat confused, and, to .avoid a collision, he swung the car to the left and passed Mr Whelan wjth a safe margin of four or five feet. In front of The Express Office he was travelling at about ten miles an hour, and at (the point where he met Mr Whelan he was going at anything from five to eight miles an hour. He could have made a dead-stop if necessary. -■•',- v . . r Corroborative evidence , was given Iby Kenneth Maurice and Edward Jjucas, who were occupants of the car on the occasion in question. Tho case was adjourned to the afternoon, to enable counsel to call as a witness a motor-car driver w!ho occupied the front seat with the defendant.