LORRY DRIVER CHARGED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19659, 10 June 1927, Page 14

LORRY DRIVER CHARGED.

SEQUEL TO GIRL'S DEATH. A VERDICT OF . NOT GUILTY. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HAMILTON. Thursday. Evidence for the defence was heard before Mr. Justice Herdman in the Hamilton Supreme Court to-day in the case in which a young married man, Edward Miller Rouse (Mr. H. J. McMullin), was charged with negligently driving a motorlorry on March 15 and thereby causing the death of Miss Alice Mvra Moms. Accused said he was a lorry driver employed by George Jamieson, of Horotiu, in delivering meat from Horotiu to butchers' shops in Hamilton. On the morning of March 15 he drove from Norton Road into Seddon Road. The lorry was travelling at 12 miles an hour, and as be approached the intersection he put out his hand and blew the horn to indicate the direction in which he was Eoicg-. He saw Miss Morris step on to the road and then hesitate. He deemed it safer to pass behind the girl than to accelerate and pass iu front of her. He had ample room to pass, but the girl ran back while his attention was momentarily occupied in watching for other traffic in Seddon Road. The girl was struck bv the left-hand side of the vehicle. In answer to the Crown Prosecutor, Mr. Gillies, accused said five roads crossed at the point v.-here the accident occurred, and the driver of a vehicle had to keep an eye on all these thoroughfares when passing over the intersection. That was why he did not see deceased until she had stepped on to the road. He expected he would have possibly passed the girl in safety had be kept to' the left side of. the road, but had the girl stopped or walked on she would have been all right. Had he been on the left-hand of the road he could have kept watch on the girl all the time and not looked for traffic coming down Seddon Road. Accused said he took the course usually taken by traffic at the intersection, and he slightly cut the corner. James Alfred Moore, surfaceman and traffic inspector, employed by the Waipa County Council, said he had observed accused passing along the road between Horotiu and Hamilton from four to six days daily for the last three years. Witness was not personally acquainted with accused. He knew Rouse to be a careful and courteous driver, and bad given no for complamt. After a. retirement of three hours the jury returned a verdict of not guilty and accused was discharged.