SEQUEL TO COLLISION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19945, 1 November 1934, Page 8

SEQUEL TO COLLISION

MOTORIST ACQUITTED OF NEGLIGENCE

By Telegraph —Press Association

AUCKLAND, October 31

The trial of Douglas Campbell Purdie, a solicitor, on a charge of negligently driving a motor car causing the death of a child Ruth Beatrice Warburton. was concluded before Mr Justice Fair in the Supreme Court. The case arose from a collision between a car driven by accused and one driven by the girl’s father at an intersection at Remuera on July 29.

In summing up, his Honour said the accident was of a type unfortunately frequent. No doubt the death of the child was deplored as deeply by the accused as by anyone else, but it had to be remembered that a person in charge of a motor car was in charge of a dangerous thing. Since cars had become so common their danger had perhaps been lost sight of. It often happened that a person charged in such a case was of good character and a person not likely to be charged with any other offence. The jury, however, must put that thought out of their minds. It was generally known that where there was any doubt as to which motorist should proceed at a crossing the benefit was usually given to the driver on the right. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty and accused was discharged.