Mataura THE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 23199, 14 May 1937, Page 19

Mataura THE BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Mataura Borough Council was held on Tuesday. His Worship the Mayor (Mr John Buchanan) presided and there were present Crs J. P. McErlean, R. Hutton, J. McAlister, D. Coster, A. J. Cruickshanks, A. Bradley, L. McKelvie, C. H. Hargest and J. H. Clark. A letter was received from Mr W. J. Service, telegraph engineer, Invercargill about the removal of telegraph poles from the new road joining the west ends of Carlisle, Bums and Albion streets, stating that the work will be carried out at the cost of the P. and T. Department. Action is being taken to have the poles removed at an early date. At the same time Mr Service refers to a letter dated October 8 last about the introduction of a fifty-fifty _ arrangement in future reading operations. This arrangement is more favourable to the local bodies than to the department, but it has been decided upon by head office as it is considered that both the department and the local body are working in the general interests of the public. _ The letter was received. A circular was received from the Commissioner of Transport about the proposals for alterations in the law relating to motor drivers’ licences. The Mayor read a letter from the Tauranga Borough Council stating that it had protested to the Government on the matter and asking for Matauras support. An Emphatic Protest Cr Bradley moved and Cr McKelvie seconded a motion that an emphatic protest be entered against the taking of drivers’ licences from the borough. A letter was received from the town clerk, Invercargill, about the centennial memorial for Southland. It was decided to hold the matter over in the meantime. The Southland County Council wrote about the Waimumu channel. It was decided that more definite information be obtained before anything be done. A letter was received from Mr J. Atkin, secretary of the Local Government Loans Board about Mataura s proposal to raise a loan of £2OOO to meet its share of the cost of constructing a new bridge. A letter was received from the Public Works Department about Mataura Bridge at Mataura. The letter was received. Donation to Plunket Society

Mrs Hutton, secretary of the Plunket Society, wrote requesting a donation to the “May Appeal.” It was decided to donate the usual sum of £4 4/-. The Minister of Railways, (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) wrote that arrangements had been made to have the approach to, and in front of, the railway station building gravelled. The letter was received. The foreman of works reported that the flanks of the Main street highway had been graded and 200 yards of gravel spread on the sides of the bitumen. The mower recently purchased was in good order and was working well. The boundary fence between the playing areas had been erected and the entrance gravelled. The report was adopted. The finance committee recommended that the sum of £lO be donated to the library out of the Craig Bequest library account to purchase new books. Mr F. J. Quilter was appointed to the position of borough investigator. MAGISTRATE’S COURT LENGTHY SITTING (Before Mr W. H. Freeman S.M.) A lengthy sitting of the Magistrate’s Court was held at Mataura recently. Angus McKay Robertson was charged by the police with negligently driving a motor-car on the Main South Road Mataura on May 23, 1936 and was further charged that on the same date being in charge of a motor-vehicle directly concerned in an accident involving injury to Mrs Ashby, he did fail to report the accident at the nearest police station. Mr A. Smyth appeared for defendant. Constable Brazier, of Mataura, stated that defendant was driving a car from Gore to Mataura about 7.45 p.m. on the evening of May 23, 1936, and, when near the freezing works he overtook and ran over a bicycle ridden by Mrs Ashby, of Mataura. Mrs Ashby was injured and had to receive medical attention. The defendant did not report the accident and he was driving a car the foot brake of which was broken.

Mr Smyth stated that defendant was pleading guilty to the charge of failing to report the accident and not guilty to the charge of negligent driving. Evidence was then given by Jessie Eileen Ashby, a married woman, residing in Main Street, Mataura. She said that at about 7.45 p.m. on the night in question, she was riding her bicycle from her home to Mataura. She was well over on her correct side. She had a good light on the bicycle. When opposite Mr Nixon’s house, she saw a car coming from Mataura, and heard another car coming behind her, travelling in the same direction as she. She went right off the bitumen on her correct side. Both cars passed each other behind her. The car coming behind kept well over on the left side. It appeared not to have seen her. She thought she would be run down, so made an effort to get to the centre of the load. The car was not travelling fast She was struck by the car and fell on the roadway. She could not remember being dragged. Her bicycle was left about fifteen yards behind. The driver seemed to have difficulty in stopping the car. She was badly injured and was bleeding from cuts in the face and head. The night was clear and frosty, and except for the two cars, there was no other traffic shout After the defendant stopped the car, he came back and assisted her. He took her to Sister Scott’s hospital where she received medical attention. The defendant then took her home. She did not think the car ran over her.- The driver appeared to be quite sober. Defendant asked her if he should report the accident and she told him it did not matter. Cross-examined by Mr Smyth, she said she did not know at the time that

she was seriously injured. She had watched the car coming right down the road and kept looking back. Defendant never made any attempt to shift from his position. She denied being on the wrong side of the road, but was going to the wrong side when hit Sarah Mowat, a married woman, of Invercargill, gave evidence that on the night of May 23 last about 7.45 p.m., she was in Main Street, Mataura where she had arranged to meet Mrs Ashby. She was coming and at last saw her on the main road on her bicycle. She had a light and was on her correct side. A car travelling from Mataura to Gore passed Mrs Ashby, and then passed another car travelling from Gore to Mataura. After the cars had passed she noticed Mrs Ashby still on her bicycle. She saw defendant’s car close behind, then heard a crash. Mrs Ashby was knocked off her bicycle by the car. She did not see the impact. She went over to assist Mrs Ashby. The car stopped a bit further on, and defendant came back. The cycle was lying on the road about 14 yards back. Mrs Ashby was badly injured. Constable Brazier gave evidence that because of a complaint, he interviewed defendant on May 27, 1936 when he made a statement. The statement was produced. The constable stated that he had examined defendant’s car. The hand brake was in good order but the foot brake was not To Mr Smyth: He knew defendant was not a fast driver, and was not a man who indulged in intoxicating liquor. Only One Chance The defendant stated that he passed a. car just above the freezing works. He was on his correct side. He suddenly saw Mrs Ashby about four feet in front of him and on his right. She seemed to be cutting from, the centre of the road to her correct side. He had only one chance, that was to shoot between her and the fence. There was no possibility of avoiding the accident by braking. Questioned by the Magistrate as to why he did not see the cyclist, the defendant stated that she could not have been on her correct side. She must have come from the centre of the road.

The Magistrate remarked that he be-, lieved it was through ignorance that defendant did not report the accident and on that charge he would be convicted and ordered to pay costs 10/and on the charge of negligent driving he was fined £1 and costs 10/-. Mary Ann Botting was charged with negligently driving a motor deliveryvan along the Main South Road at Mataura on July 11, 1936. The defendant who was represented by Mr O. J; Howells, pleaded not guilty. Constable Brazier appeared for the police. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay court costs 10/-. Charles Earnest Rowe, of Mataura, was charged on the information of the Stock Inspector that on March 4, 1937, at Mataura saleyards, he offered for sale sheep infected with lice. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Inspector Munro stated that he had inspected a mob of 146 sheep placed in the saleyards by defendant. He found a number of them infected Defendant stated that he had been dealing in sheep and was not aware that the sheep put in the sale were infected. The Magistrate remarked that the onus was on farmers to see that sheep were dipped before being offered for sale. Defendant was convicted and fined £2 and costs 10/-. Civil Case Judgment was given for plaintiff by default in the following undefended civil case:—F. S. Parker v. Thomas Birse, for £6 5/-. John Bruce Aitchison, of 111 Ettrick street, Invercargill, was charged that on February 27,1937, at Ota Creek, near Mataura, being the driver of a motorvehicle on the Main South Road he did fail to keep as close as was practicable to the left of the roadway. Defendant wrote pleading guilty and was convicted and fined £2, and costs 10/-. J. W. Swale, a contractor, of Mataura, proceeded again Charles David Taylor, a wool and skin merchant of Mataura on a claim for £l6B 9/2 for work done to defendant’s premises. Mr Bell, Mataura, appeared for plaintiff, and Mr W. G. Tait, Invercargill, for defendant. After a short adjournment, counsel for plaintiff informed the court that a settlement had been reached. On the information of Traffic Inspector Simmons, Mrs Jessie Eileen Ashby, Miss Peggy Gaudion, Norman Hellier, Laurie Scott and Robert Sharp, of Mataura, were each charged with cycling at night without lights and were convicted and fined 5/-, and costs 10/-. Robert Tyrell, of Mataura, charged with driving a car and not being the holder of a driver’s licence, was convicted and fined 5/-, costs 10/-. On the information of Traffic Inspector Barnes, James Gregory and William McEwing, of Mataura, were charged with cycling at night without lights and were each fined 5/- and costs 10/-. John H. Jenkins and Alfred Dore, of Mataura, charged with riding on the footpath were convicted and fined 5/-, costs 10/-.

MINIATURE RIFLE CLUB WEEKLY SHOOT The Mataura Miniature Rifle Club held its weekly shoot recently. There was an excellent attendance of members. A Coronation shoot was also held for which there were two trophies, one for the best score off the rifle and. one for the highest score with handicap. L. Dickie won the trophy for the highest score off the rifle with A. Falconer runner-up, while E. Fergie annexed the prize for the highest score with handicap. The detailed scores were as follows:— Coronation Shoot.—L. Dickie 78-2-79, A. Falconer 78-1-79, E. Fergie 76-3-79, T. Gaudion 76-3-79, W. Budge 75-6-79, J. Sayers 68-12-79, O. Davis 77-1-78, J. R. Quilter 73-5-78, L. H. Bowers 69-9-78, J. P. Quilter 74-3-77, R. Barclay 73-3-76; W. N. Dunnage 68-7-75, R. Greer 72-3-75, A. McQuillan 68-7-75, W. Webb 74-0-74, E. Rammage 72-2-74, W. Smail 61-12-73, G. Adams 65-6-71.

Weekly Shoot.—J. Haugh 79, G. Dixon 78, A. Falconer 78, W. Webb 78, R. Barclay 77, O. Davis 77, L. H. Bowers 77, T. Gaudion 76, P. Hay 76, P. Mallon 75, G. Adam 75, L. Dickie 75, D. Henry 74, C. Healy 74, J. P. Quilter 74, A. Russell 74, G. Cullen 73, F. W. Ramage 73, E. Ramage 73, W. Budge 73, J. R. Quilter 72, J. Sayers 72, G. Hay 71, A. Johnston 71, G. Cruickshanks 71, W. Small 70, R. Greer 70, D. Bell 69, J. Richardson 69, B. Lloyd 68, E. Duncan 68, H. Anderson 67, H. Valentine 66, W. N. Dunnage 66, B. Martin 66, J. Glover 65, J. Calder 61, N. Dickie 60, A. Gourley 56, M. Dowdle 52, V. Hannah 36.

WOMEN’S GOLF The following is the draw for an eclectic match to be played on the Moikoia links during the week:—Miss Speden v. Mrs Corbet, Mrs Bogue v. Miss Kingston, Mrs Taylor v. Mrs Sinclair, Mrs Clearwater v. Mrs Gourley, Mrs Hocking v. Mrs Hutton, Mrs Watts v. Mrs Sands, Mrs Sutherland v. Mrs Hargest, Miss Stickle v. Mrs Smith, Miss Rogers v. Mrs Bell, Mrs Halliday v. Miss Taylor, Miss Adam v Miss Winning, Miss McDonald v. Mrs Boyd.