NOT IMMUNE

Southland Times, Issue 20641, 13 November 1928, Page 8

NOT IMMUNE

PRESIDENTS SEDAN CAR. VICTIM OF ACCIDENT. The sedan car of the president of the Southland Motor Association some weeks ago suffered the indignity of being run into by an ancient automobile belonging to Charles John Ladbrook. Yesterday Ladbrook appeared in the Police Court before Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., charged with failing to give way at an intersection to traffic approaching on the right. Senior-Sergeant Fox prosecuted and Mr A. F. Hogg represented defendant, who pleaded not guilty. James Robert Haigh gave evidence that on the day in question he was driving his car in a westerly direction along Duke street at a speed of from 12 to 15 miles an hour when he approached the Grey street intersection. When near the intersection he saw a car on hie left going north along Grey street. Witness thought that the driver of that car would see him and give him the right of way. When witness saw that defendant was not going to give him right of way he swerved, but Ladbrook’s car struck the rear of witness’s car, damaging it to the extent of about £lO4. Ladbrook was travelling faster than witness, but witness would not say at an excessive speed. Defendant should have been able to avoid witness. Defendant was driving a Ford and a boy accompanied him. Witness had two passengers in his car. Ladbrook said to witness afterwards that he knew true “off-side rule,” but did not see witness. To Mr Hogg: On the corner in question there was a manuka wind-break which might have obscured defendant’s view. Witness began to swerve when he was about the centre of the intersection. John Daniel Campbell, a passenger in Haigh’s car, was also called by the police as a witness. He corroborated in the main the evidence of Haigh. After the accident defendant informed witness that he had not seen Haigh’s car. For the defence, Mr Hogg conceded that defendant was in the wrong, but not so as to bring him within the section of the regulations concerned. Ladbrook did not see Haigh’s car nor did he receive any warning of the approach of that car, and unless he was aware of approaching traffic he could not be expected to give way. The section anticipated that the other car should give some warning. The Magistrate held that there was no doubt that defendant broke the rule. Ladbrook was convicted, but the imposition of a fine was held over till the result of the civil action was known.