MOUNTAIN ROAD SMASH

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 16, 14 August 1928, Page 5

MOUNTAIN ROAD SMASH

- ACCIDENT IN MAY. CAR OWNER IN COURT. DECISION RESERVED, Yesterday afternoon at the Stratford Court, before Mr R. W. Tate, S.M., hearing was concluded of the charges against William C. Hutiv.lck, arising from a serious motor accident which happened on Mountain Road, near No-aere,, on May 3rd last. Huh wick was charged with employing an unlicensed person to 1 drive a motor car, and also with aiding and abetting a person in the commission of the offence of diiving a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner.

Mr A. ,A. Bennett appeared for Hun wick, who pleaded not guilty.

DEFENDANT’S VERSION

In evidence, defendant said that he was a farm labourer residing at Waipuku. Miss Ashton drove the car from Toko to Stratford, there ,to Midhirst and thence to the scene of the accident—a total distance of about eighteen miles. On about six previous occasions Miss Ashton had driven the car, and on May 3rd she took the wheel for the purpose Of further improving her driving. Witness kept his eye on her for the whole journey, but had no occasion to find fault with her driving. As soon as witness felt the card skid he grabbed the wheel, but the car hit the pole before he could do anything. The car was humping badly and did not answer to the wheel. Witness thought it had been raining earlier in the evening. Previous to the skidding the car was going at 20 to 25 miles per hour. Beyond what he did witness could think of nothing he might have done to prevent the accident. Nothing he did previous to the accident could contribute to bring the mishap about. Everybody in the car had a sip of the beer. Miss Ashton just had a sip. She did not have enough to affect her driving. The car was in the centre of the road previous to the skidding. Looking hack, witness could not see anything which would enable him te foresee the accident. Ffrom the skidding to the collision would he only a few seconds.

mysterious beer. Cross-examined, Witness could not say bow the beer got into the car. He did not put it there. Vicker s did not drive at any part of the journey. Stops were made at Toko and Midhirst. Miss Ashton was quite capable of steering, but could not change gears. It was quite reasonable to: let Miss Ashton drive on the night of May 3rd, a f3 she was quite capable as regards steer-

ing. To the Court: At Toko the whole of the party got out of the car and chatted with friends who were attending a dance there. The cai was owned by witness and his mother in partnership. It was so badly damaged in the accident that it was not worth being repaired. The bottle Of beer was in the car before leaving for Eltham. Witness had no idea how it got there. The glass that was used was a cup off a whisky bottle. This was all the evidence for the defence. , 1 ■ The S.M. intimated that he would reserve decision on the point raised by Mr Bennett that a charge of aiding and abetting could not succeed without proof of previous complicity, which was impossible as regards the charge of aiding and abetting the commission of the offence of dangerous driving.