MOTOR CAR TRAFFIC.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 252, 24 October 1919, Page 4

MOTOR CAR TRAFFIC.

A COUBT CASE.

Arising from tin accident which cm cuned in niam Street on the even* ing of June 17th, three charges were! brjugni against 1. Edward Jriiggins in me Magistrate's Court yesteruay^ I'he ucienaant was charged with: (I> 6 1( ailing to stop his motor car when,, owing 10 its presence, an accident occurred ; (2) driving his car at a_ rate* of speed exceeding 15 miles au Hour j and {o) driving 111 a public higmvay; iv a manner uaugcrous to the public.

Mr 1. I?\ Polling appeared for the

defence

■ Sorgt. O'Hara conducted the prosecution, and called a number of witr.esses including William Gi'idley', thet victim oi' the accident, and W. A. : Fuller, of Napier, who was journeying with the defendant on the occa-. sion in question. The defendanti Avas driving away from town in the dusk, with his lights 'going, and ati a curve in the'road he overtook Mij Gridley going in the same direction.', The car struck the bicycle and overturned Mr Gridley. The cyclist was nob injured but the- back wheel bfi his machine was badly damaged. The> defendant passed 011 without stopping. Mr Fuller suggested to him/ that he should stop, but th£ defend-^ ant said he did not think any harml had been done.

No evidence was called for the de*. fence, but couusel said that two other cyclists, without lights, werei in the track and the defendant hadl to swerve from one side to the other to avoid collisions. He admitted that, having knocked Mr Gridleyi over the defendant should have stopped, but the other charges, he submitted had not been proved. Coun-< ; sel mentioned that this whs the firsti prosecution locally for failing ta stop.

Mr P. L. Rollings, S.M., said he could not take a light view of the offence of not stopping the car. Motorists should understand thatr when an accident occurred, whether they' were responsible or not, they should come to a stop. Apart fijom: the regulations the ordinary dictates of humanity called on them to pull up and see what had happened, ancfl whether they could be of any assistance. They might be able to render* valuable, help in conveying a man1 toi hospital or obtaining medical aid.i The- expense of bringing a witness all the way from Napier would.have to be borno by the defendant; he mighti have saved it.

On the first charge a fine of £5 with 7s costs wns inflicted, and on the second charge £2 with 7s .costs. On the third charge a conviction waa entered and the defendant ordered to pay costs 17s and witnesses' expenses amounting to £6 18s.