ELTHAM MOTOR COLLISION

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1931, Page 8

ELTHAM MOTOR COLLISION

LORRY DRIVER EXONERATED. DOUBT FAVOURS DEFENDANT. A charge against Jack Gower of failing to give way to a vehicle approaching from the right was dismissed at the Eltham Police Court yesterday. The magistrate said that while the regulation, was one .which should be strictly upheld, he would, in view of the doubts in the matter, dismiss the case.

Sergt. Henry stated that on January 17 a lorry driven by Gower and a motor cycle ridden by a man named Weatherall came into collision at the entrance to the Eltham railway yards. The lorry was going at a reasonable pace and there was no suggestion of speeding. Alexander Weatherall, an employee of the Eltham County Council, said he was unable to recall anything of the incident except that he was on a motor-cycle and that when he recovered consciousness he was in the Hawera hospital suffering from concussion and bruises to the head. He could not even remember a collision.

Constable Townsend said that when he arrived at the scene he found Weatherall lying on a couch in the Eltham < Hotel in. an unconscious condition and considerably injured. A doctor was sent for and the man was taken to the Hawera hospital. The cycle had collided with the' lorry’s right-hand side, striking it about Bft 7in from the back. The cycle was on its correct side. The lorry carried on for about 10 yards and pulled up with its front wheel six feet from the edge of the footpath on its correct side, the rear wheel being nine feet from the footpath. Jack Gower said he was 20 years of age and had been driving a lorry for about four years. He came through the railway yards gate at about five or 10 miles an hour. Although he looked both ways he was unable to see any traffic. The first thing he knew of the approaching cyclist was when Dave Evans, who was sitting alongside him, yelled; “Look out for the bike.” The cycle then struck the lorry about 8 feet from the back. There was a benzine lorry standing at a nearby pump. Gower had not had an accident previously. To Sergt. Henry Gower said he was about 10 yards inside the railway gate when he first looked to the right. His right eye was injured but he could see clearly from the other by turning his head partly round. He saw the benzine lorry but it was possible a vehicle had been behind it.

David Evans gave similar evidence. He was unable to say whether the cycle was travelling - fast or slowly. Gower’s counsel, Mr. A. A. Stewart, regarded the police evidence as weak because their witness was unable to remember anything. He submitted that defendant did all that the regulations and common-sense required. Gower was not called upon to give way to traffic that was non-apparent. He seemed to have taken all reasonable precautions and it was unfortunate he had been struck. Counsel said it seemed a doubtful case and he suggested that defendant be given the benefit of the doubt. The magistrate said that if there was no vehicle in sight and 1J seconds later it struck the lorry the pace of the former must 'have been very fast. If the cycle was out of vision when defendant looked it would have been possible for it to have covered the distance at 40 miles an hour.

t ATHLETICS AT STRATFORD. THE HANDICAPS ANNOUNCED. Handicaps for the athletic meeting to be held at Stratford to-night have been announced as follows: — 75 yards.—J. Hamilton 2yds, M. Prince 4, D. Jones 5, A. Mullins 6, L. Wynyard 7, J. Whiting 8, W. Whittington 8, G. Irving 8, J. Carryer 9, C. Cleaver 9, K. Jenkins 10, S. Clare 10. - 220 yards. —J. Hamilton Byds, M. Price 10, D. Jones 16, A. Mullins 18, L. Wynyard 19, J. Whiting. 20, W. Whittington 20, G. Irving 20, J. Carryer 21, C. Cleaver, 22, K. Jenkins 24, S. Clare 26. One mile.—J. Carryer 110yds, K. Reid 11Q, A. W. Chapman 110, A. B. Harris 120, J. Whiting 145, C. Cleaver 175, S. Clare 175. 75 yards ladies. —Misses N. Rowlands 2yds, K. Peterson 3, E. Reid 3j, M. Peters 4, M. Carter. 5, M. Rowe 6, Reakes 7, Ckaver 7, I. Reid 5. Further entries handicapped on ground., . Throwing the hammer. —L. Beardmore 20ft, W. Ritter 20, S. Lay 30, L. Wynyard 40,-Owen 35, A. D. Adlam 25, A. Hart 40. Javelin.—L. Beardmore' 60ft, S. Lay scr, L. Wynyard 55ft, Owen 55, A. D. • Adlam 50, A. Hart 50, J. Whiting 45. Putting the shot.—L. Beardmore 3ft. Gin., W. °Ritter sft, S. Lay sft. 6in., L. Wvnyard 3ft., Owen 2ft. 6in., A. D. Adlam sft. 6in.,. A., Hart 7ft. 6in. Half and three miles cycle events.— A D. Adlam 10yds and 50yds, E. Tipler 20 and 100, C. Griffin 25 and 100, A. Hart 35 and 180, K. Foy 35 and 180, J. Stewart 45 and 220, P. G. Harkness 50 and 260, Lithgow 50 and 300, K. Laird 70 and 400. Entries for the boys (under 16) mile cycle, 220 yards primary schoolboys, and 220 yards high schoolboys, will be handicapped bn the ground. KING’S THEATRE TALKIES. OUTDOOR DRAMA. “The Virginian” is the first outdoors classic in sound and dialogue. Gary Cooper is cast in the title role, his first full-dialogue part. Walter Huston, featured lead of ‘‘Gentlemen of the Press,” is Tram pas the villain. Richard Arlen is Steve, the wayward cowpuncher, and Mary Brian is Molly Wood, the winsome school ma’am. “The Virginian,” a novel of the SO’s, gained quick fame as the greatest American novel ever published, and it is held to be one of the great classics of literature. It brought universal renown to its author, Owen Wister. A few years later Wister and Kirk La Shelle transcribed the book into a play of the same name. The play became as famous as the novel. The handsome Gary Cooper, with his winning drawl and tall, rangy physique, is admirably cast as the hero. Huston is sensational as the villain. It is a triumph of talking pictures that such remarkable talent can be brought to show-goers.