YOUTH’S DEATH

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1926, Page 7

YOUTH’S DEATH

CHARGE UNDER MOTOR VEHICLES ACT. YOUNG MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Herbert Michael Bailey, the young man allegedly concerned in the accident on Rangitikei line on the evening of March 22, whereby Maurice Stewart, 18 years of age, subsequently succumbed to injuries, was charged on remand before Messrs A. J. Graham and G. H. Espiner, J.P.’s, at the Police Court this morning with negligently driving a motor cycle, thereby causing the death of Stewart. Accused, whose head was still In bandages, , was represented by Mr Cooper. Senior-Sergeant O’Grady conducted the ease for the police. Counsel raising'no objection, the depositions at the inquest were read out to tile police witnesses, who affirmed their correctness. Owing to Mr J. H. Watt, who had discovered deceased lying unconscious on the road, being at present in Auckland, a copy o( his evidence was' put in. • An additional witness was John Burden, glazier, of Palmerston North, who gave evidcnco that three pieces of glass which had been picked up at the scene of tile accident were of a kind used in motor cycle headlamps. Constable Thom produced a signed statement made by accused at the Phlmerston North police station on March 24, wherein lie denied all knowledge of having run a cyclist down, and stated that the injuries from which he was then suffering and tho damage to his bicycle were caused through his skidding in looso gravel near tho Newb.ury cheese factory, where lie worked, on the night deceased was picked up on the road.

Mr Cooper at this stage asked that accused’s depositions at tho inquest bo put in, and this was done. Cross-examined b.v counsel, Constable Thom admitted that ho had interviewed Mrs Hall, the proprietress of a tea-room in Main street, which accused stated he had visited' on the night of the accident, and had been told that accused was then perfectly sobor. A tootli and a screw had been found at the placo where deceased had been picked up, but deceased did not know whether a spark plug had also been found. Ho admitted that he had interviewed one of the senior cadets who, while standing at the Mangaone bridge, had noticed both the cyclist and motor cyclist go past within a few minutes of each other, and who had not been called to give evidence, and had been told that'accused was going at from 25 to 30 miles per hour. This closed the case for the police. Accused had nothing to say, and, pleading not guilty, was committed for trial at the sittings of the Supremo Court next month. Bail was allowed in accused’s own recognisance of £loo and one surety of a liko amount.