DETECTIVE SUED

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4064, 24 June 1938, Page 4

DETECTIVE SUED

£129 DAMAGES AWARDED. CRASH ON ONE-WAY BRIDGE. A Wellington police detective, Joseph Geoffrey Long (formerly of Hairini) was ordered to pay £75 general damages and £54 special damages by Mr Justice Quilliam in the Supreme Court at Wellington on Wednesday. Charlotte Ella Carter, a widow, of Wellington, proceeded against Long to recover £343 damages arising out of a motor car collision on the Waikanae bridge. At the time of the accident her son was driving the car. A counter claim for £5l damages incurred in removing and repairing defendant’s car was made. His Honor said, on the evidence, the plaintiff’s car had approached the bridge at from 18 to 20 miles an hour and after coming on to the bridge the driver had a perfect right to assume that defendant would not attempt to cross the bridge. He had no doubt about defendant knowing it to be a one-way bridge, and he must have had a clear view.

“I do not see that the plaintiff’s son could have done any more than he had done to avoid a collision,” continued his Honor. “The weight of evidence is that defendant, after the accident, did say it was his fault. Not that this was material, as whatever he may have said 1 am going to find it was his fault. However, I completely absolve Long of any attempt to mislead the Court.”

Judgment was given for plaintiff on the counter claim without costs.