Motor Collision Case

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 107, 7 May 1941, Page 2

Motor Collision Case

RACE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT A civil claim arising out of «. motor collision case was heard alt the Feilding Alagistrate’s Court yesterday by Mr. R. M. Watson, S.M-, when. Harry Heys, of Aorangi, labourer, proceeded against Richard A. Guthrie, draper’s assistant, of Feilding, claiming £ll 5s damages sustained by plaintiff’s car. The facts were that plaintiff was proceeding to the Marton races in January and hifi car was in a stream of traffic approaching the course. The car in front stopped and plaintiff claimed that he gave the usual signal and stopped his car when the car driven by the defendant, Guthrie, which was immediately behind, ran into him. Plaintiff gave evidence along these lines and corroborative evidence was given by a pas' seuger in his car. For the defence evidence was given by four of the occupants of Guthrie’s car, alleging that Keys had, shortly before the collision, cut in on the stream of traffic and was proceeding immediately in front of Guthrie’s car. When about 100 yards from tho race course and still in the stream of traffic, Hevs, without any signal, suddenly stopped. After the collision Heys got out and came to Guthrie’s car aud defendant asked him why he did not put his hand out and Heys replied that he was not required to put his haud out in race traffic and made no suggestion that he had put his hand out. When confronted in cross-examina-lion with, this evidence Heys said that he told Guthrie that he had put his hand out but it was not really necessary to do this as he had, a short time previously, read a statement by a Magistrate that in slow moving traffic this was not necessary. At the conclusion of the evidence the Magistrate reserved his decision. Mr. D. C. Cullinane appeared for plaintiff and Mr. J. Graham for the defendant.