AN OVERTURNED SULEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18331, 22 February 1923, Page 5

AN OVERTURNED SULEY.

• *&?■ i& '"■. : ■•'''' Wmmt DAMAGES FOR INJURIES, '•■ '•... ■ ' '-.■ ■, •.■•.'.'•.••.•:".■■'■.'■' .' "■'■".;.':-■.' '••..'•,.■;.:..;■•••.:...-. : -.V" ■;'.-'' ■ <■■ :■ CLAIM BY FARMER AND WIFE/«,! THE PIG IN THE "SLEDGE." '■> The overturning of a sulky on a country road, alleged i.to"' have been 'due to ■-':■ the negligent handling of a horse-drawn.;. sledge, or trolly, on -which was a box. containing a live pig, was described in ■■]:"; the Supreme Court yesterday in an action . for damages, heard by Mr. ' Justice Stringer. '< The driver of the sulky, Mrs. C. M. Goodhue, was thrown out and sustained injuries, which, it was stated, would be permanent. i: The plaintiffs, Herbert : Goodhue, a farmer, of Taumarere, and his wife, Caroline M. Goodhue . (Mr. Miller ' and Mr. Butler), claimed £1046 14s damages and , expenses . from Harry M. Cookson, a farmer, of Kawakawa (Mr. West and Mr. Steadman), whose two young sons were in charge of the sledge, Defendant denied negligence. Mrs. Goodhue, who on account cf her disability was allowed to, be Boated, stated that on April 10, 1921, she was driving the sulky, having with her her baby and a niece. The horse was an old quiet animal, and she had no whip. When. ; she , first, saw the . sledge, it was almost ... in the middle of the road, on one side of which was a bank, and on the other a slope. When approaching the sledge her * norse ; showed signs .of fear , and stopped. - l One of the boys with the. sledge led it a few steps ; then the ani- . mal pulled away, just as iit was abreast of the horse in the sledge. Witness > tried i to ■■; get ' it ' past; .but after. going >s'- few - paces it swung round, the suiKy over- • turned, and witness 'was thrown out : and '- down the slope. The baby and her niece also were thrown out, but neither was hurt to any extent. "Witness was in hospital about three weeks. Prior to the ; . accident she carried out household -duties; and helped in milking. She could .only do light housework now, and; help had •• to bo engaged. VHMci \ : ■. To His Honor,. plaintiff , said she had ': not taken action before because she thought she would get better. "•'"■":■'';';'.."V..'-'jpt* * William Wilson, a blacksmith,, who went to the assistance of the- injured ; t woman, said he found the sledge prac- ~ tically in the centre of the road ; the ' road was about 12ft. wide.-He knew the Goodhue's horse as a very quiet animal. ' ' 9 Mr. West stated .that what had been 'called, a sledge, he would describe as a trolley, as it nad two Bin. wheels. ; Witness I swear it had no wheels. Dr. Neil McDougall ; stated.: that Mrs; ?•'."' Goodhue had sustained a fracture of the pelvis. He considered she would. have a : permanent halt, i and i would not be able to do such useful work as 1 before. > , i ; Eva Goodhue, 1 niece of Mrs. Goodhue, .''" who was in the sulky, : said ; the sledge,? . which was on runners, ; pulled to the ; side -. of the road. >~. -.>'■._* ■ In 'reply to His* Honor, witness "aaid;;;'; the sledge had not been moved between ; ? the time of the accident and when Wil- . ' = son came on the scene. \- •''. : '\..;' ; -"\-;;/' j; '. : :. : The -i taxi ; proprietor who took . - Mrs. ;- - ; ? Goodhue to the hospital said it was very '; hard to get a horse to pass pigs. '.The n• sledge; had ( - no ' wheels. /;.-.;-''_ ' -. . v '/.' t ' Herbert Goodhue said : the horse was ' 17 years old at the time of the accident. They had had it since it was three ; weeks ti% old. '. '■. ;■ . ■ _ - . '"- _ ■ ''• Cross-examined, witness had - met de- ';'; fendant v off , and on since the accident, but had made no claim on ; him until after < the X-ray examination in October last.'' . The case was ; adjourned ■~ until ; to-day. ;4?;;' ■" " ,' *