Feilding Magistrate’s Court

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 107, 7 May 1941, Page 8

Feilding Magistrate’s Court

TRAFFIC REGULATIONS CASE Before Mr. R. M. Watson, S.M., at the Feilding Magistrate's Court yesterday, Thomas Young, salesman, of Feilding, defended a ciiarge of having driven a car at such a speed that it could not be brought to a standstill within half the length of the clear roadway ahead. The facts were that a lorry belonging to F. W. Pearse, of Feilding, travelling from Palmerston to Feilding on the lvairanga Road, suffered headlight failure. The vehicle was pulled up on its correct side while the driver endeavoured for some minutes to locate the trouble. Another- lorry, proceeding in the opposite direction and belonging also to Mr. Pearse, came along anu pulled uj) some 30 yards nearer to Palmerston North. The driver of this vehicle got out, leaving his headlights blazing and jiroceeded to assist the other driver in finding tho cause of the trouble. Young was travelling from Palmerston North, and blinded Dy the lights of tho stationary lorry, was suddenly confronted, as he came out of the glare, with the rear of the other lorry, doing considerable damage to his car. After the accident a conversation took place and Young asked the driver of the lorry why he had no tail light and the driver took Young to the rear of the lorry to show him that tho tail light was burning. The driver of the lorry, Pleasants, gave evidence that there were two fuses, one controlling the headlights and the other controlling the tail and side lights. Under cross-examination by Mr. J. Graham for defendant, Pleasants admitted that in endeavouring to locate the trouble ho had removed and examined both fuses prior to the other lorry arriving on the scene. He further stated that after the other lorry driver had arrived and endeavoured himself to find tho trouble he also removed the fuses and further admitted that during those periods of removal of the tail light fuse there would be no tail light burning and that it would be quite possible that when Young approached the rear of the lorry tho fuse might have been out and no tail light showing. The driver of the other lorry gave evidence that lie endeavoured to locate the trouble but denied that he had removed the fuses although his mate had stated that he had. After further evidence tho case was adjourned for a month in order to hear the evidence of the defendant who is at present in a Territorial camp. Sergeant Turner prosecuted.