CAR AND CYCLE COLLIDE

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1929, Page 10

CAR AND CYCLE COLLIDE

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES ENSUES.

COURT RESERVES JUDGMENT.

As the result of an accident at Midhirst on September 3, 1928, between a ear driven by Donald Al. Wilson, Stratford, and a motor-cycle ridden by Errold Al. Doyle, with his father, - John G. Doyle, on the pillion scat, John Doyle sued Wilson for £93 15s fid damages at the Stratford Magistrate’s Court yesterdav, Mr* A.' Chrystal, Eltham, who appeared for plaintiff, said that the accident happened on the northern bend of the road where it crosses the railwayline at Midhirst. Mr, C'lifystal claimed that the accident was due to Wilson’s cutting the corner and encroaching on Doyle’s side of the road. An independent witness would show that immediately after the accident the car was’ standing on the crown of the road, but was later moved to the left of the road. In addition, the damage to the motorcycle was in conformity with the Doyles’ story. Dr. D. Steven, of Stratford, gave details of the injuries sustained by Doyle, who, he said, would incur a certain amount of permanent disablement. It would, however, be slight. Plaintiff had been incapacitated for several weeks as a result of his injuries. Ira J. Bridger, of Eltham, considered the damage could not have been done by a head-on collision. ‘John Grierson Doyle, plaintiff, stated that as they approached the crossing he saw the car coming, and the collision occurred on the northern bend. At the time the motor-cycle was travelling on the left edge of the road. The shock of the impact threw both riders off the motor-cycle on to tlio left baud side of the road. While he was lying on the side of the road he saw defendant push his car off the crown of the road. Defendant sat in the car for a while and then walked over and inspected the cvcle and the two riders. He lifted the cycle off Errol’s foot, and dropped it back again. Defendant then went back to his car until service car and a number of other cars arrived. Witness had been in hospital for 32 days, and even now ho was unable to do the work he was doing before the accident. Charles Hodge, who ran out on to the road when ho heard the crash of the collision, said he saw defendant and his companion pushing the car off the crown of the road down to its left-hand side. The motor-cycle was lying on its side on the left o*f the road. The two riders were lying on the- side of the road. Errold M. Doyle, plaintiff’s son, corroborated what his father had said. Mr. R. 11. Quliliam, who represented defendant, submitted that the car had been on its correct side up to the point of impact and after, while the motorcycle had swung out to its wrong side. * Donald Al. Wilson said he was driving from New Plymouth to Stratford in company with Mr. E. V. Carthew. When he approached the crossing he saw the motor-cycle coming towards him. He kept on his left side but the motorcycle seemed to swerve out towards him, cannon off the right-hand side of his car, and collapse on the side of the road. After the accident he walked over to the motor-cycle. Doyle senior was standing up, but the son was lying fiat on the side of the road. He did not pick the cycle up and drop it on Errold Doyle’s fo*ot. Carthew pushed the car out of the way of the traffic, but witness did not touch it himself. Sydney G. Carthew, Stratford, who was’ in the service-car that arrived soon after the accident, said that on stepping it out he found that the point of impace was about 34 yards from the motor-cycle’s side of the road. Edward V. Carthew, who travelled with defendant, stated that the motorcycle failed to take the bend, swung out, and collided with the car. He thought the car might be in the way of other traffic, so he pushed it off the bitumen. The magistrate reserved his judgment.

ELTHAM MUNICIPAL PICTURES.

‘•II‘EI.EN OF TROY.”

Don’t miss "The Private Lite of Helen of Troy.” Get the price of a ticket, and don’t fail to see the most unusual picture that Hollywood has turned out in many a day. “The Private Life of Helen of Troy,” which screens at the Eltham Town’Hall this evening, stands by itself as a motion picture because there is no production with which it is comparable. ' It has comedy in generous quantities, it is satirical, sly, subtle, broad, humorous, \vhimsical and daring by turns. It is richly costumed and displays sets breath-taking in their magnitude and striking in their originality of design and pictorial effect.