COLLISION CASES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 121, 22 April 1938, Page 12

COLLISION CASES.

ABSOLUTE LIABILITY. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April 21. Tlie New Zealand Law Conference passed Uie following amended remit today : “That the conference approves the principle of absolute liability for personal injury in motor collision cases, such liability to be covered by compulsory insurance with provision for compensation to be assessed in some suitable manner.” Among those supporting the proposal was Mr F. J. Rolleston (Timaru), who as Minister of Justice introduced the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Risks) Act, 1928. He said the objections now raised to the principle of absolute liability in relation to motor collisions were familiar to him. They were all brought forward in strenuous opposition to the compulsory third party insurance when that change in the law was being discussed in 1928. The Attorney-General (Hon. H. G. R. Mason) also supported the remit. He said that adequate safeguards in the nature of exceptions should be included in a Bill giving effect to the principle of absolute liability. These would require careful consideration before the amendment of the present law was finally formulated in applying by statute the principle of absolute liability to motor collision accidents. r ."he suggestion that such legislation would place a stigma on an innocent motorist causing injury was ill-con-ceived.