WOMAN AWARDED £525

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 14

WOMAN AWARDED £525

INJURIED BY MOTOR-CAR ACCIDENT ON COUNTRY ROAD [from ouh own correspondent] HAMILTON, Monday Evidence for the defence was given before Mr. Justice Fair and a jury in the Supreme Court at Hamilton to-day in the casei in which Catherine Frances Power, school teacher, of Morrinsville (Mr. J. F, Strang), sought to recover £720 as damages from Mark Leeson, farmer, of Morrinsville (Mr. W. J. King). Plaintiff was injured when struck by a motor-car driven by defendant. Plaintiff claimed that the accident, which occurred oh the Tahuna road, Mangateparu, on November 12, was caused by defendant's negligence. She and another teacher were walking along the road when they were overtaken by the car. Defendant alleged that the accident was due to plaintiff's action in running; into the car. Evidence on commission was given by a school inspector, J. W. Mcllwraith, who described plaintiff as a remarkably efficient teacher, whose grading would probably bo materially affected by her absence from duty owing to the accident. Defendant stated in evidence that he saw two women walking ahead of the car. He slackened speed to 25 miles an hour and sounded the horn. No notice was taken by the pedestrians, and he sounded the horn a second time. Plaintiff walked, to the left, and then rushed to the right. He pulled the car to the right, and plaintiff hit the mudguard 'iff. from tho front of the car. A brother of defendant. John Leeson, gave corroborative evidence. The jury returned a verdict in plaintiff's favour and awarded her £206 16s as special damages and £-'U9 as general damages, a total of £525 16s. Judgment accordingly was entered for plaintiff.