MOTOR COLLISION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16452, 14 June 1921, Page 8

MOTOR COLLISION.

A CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. 'The sequel to a collision at Prebbleton on March 28 between a motor-cycle and side-car and a motor-car was heard at the Magistrate’s Court this morning before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M. The plaintiffs were William Benjamin Jeffrey, labourer, and Edith May. rates, Spinster, for whom Mr W. F. iracy appeared, and the defendant ivas Bohert Latter, farmer, of Barry s Bay (Air F W. Johnston). I’he plaintiffs claimed £163 13s od damages alleged to be sustained * y reason of the defendant on or about March 28, 1921, so negligently and unskilfully driving and managing a motor-car in a public highway that the same collided with a motor-cycle and side-carriage on and in which the plaintiff's jyere riding. As a result of the collision both the plaintiffs were injured and the motor-cycle damaged. The amount was made up as follows: On behalf of the plaintiff Jeffrey, £33 8s 6d damage to motor-cycle ; on behalf of the plaintiff Yates, general damages £IOO, clothes £3 V2s 6d, loss of wages for eight weeks £lB, hospital expenses £3 2s 6d, medical expenses £2 2s, ambulance 18s, dental expenses £2 10s. The plaintiff Jeffrey gave evidence that on March 28 ®he was driving his motor-cycle and had Miss Yates as a passenger in the side-car. They passed through Prebbleton a few minutes after six o’clock and continued down the Main South Road. About .a mile from the township, when they were travelling about eighteen to twenty miles an hour, plaintiff saw a horse and trap come round a corner. The horse shied and plaintiff shut his engine off in order to stop the noise. The horse passed safely and plaintiff sounded his horn twice on approaching the corner. He then saw the motor-car about six yards distant from him on his left side coming round the cprner. Plaintiff applied his brakes and turned to the right in the direction that the car was travelling, hut was unable to avoid a collision. After the car struck him the motor-cycle and side-car were carried a distance of ninetv-three feet. Miss Yates fell out of the side-car. Witness then stopped his engine and the car went on for another thirty-four feet. The measurements wfere taken with a steel tape the next morning. There was a high gorse fence obstructing the view between"' himself and the motor-car at the corner. Plaintiff received no warn ing that the car was approaching, lie estimated the speed of the car at thirtyfive miles an hour. To Mr Johnston: the only vehicle he saw on the road after leaving Prebbleton before the accideqt was the horse and trap. His motor-cycle was a 7-9 horse-power Indian and his sidecar was on the left-hand side. He denied that his speed was in the vicinity of forty miles an hour.

Evidence was eriven by Miss Yates, th® other plaintiff. Mr H M’lntcsh. city motor inspector. gave evidence regarding the measurements he had taken. The defendant counter-claimed against tho defendant, W. B. .Jeffrey, for the sum of £SO Is 9cl, being dam-

ages alleged to he sustained by the defendant through the negligence of the plaintiff. The amount was made up as follows: —Repairs to motor-car £l2 Is 9d, repainting motor-ear £1.5, depreciation £o, loss of use of car for four weeks at £5 a week, £2O. The defendant, Robert Latter, said he commenced driving a motor-car in February, 1916. On March 28, 1921, he was returning from the races and was accompanied' by his wife and Mr and Mrs Wilson. The motor-cycle was ten or twelve feet from him when he first noticed it and he was then two-thirds across the intersection of roads. At the time he was travelling at about ten miles an hour—the car having practically stopped. The motor-cycle became detached from his him. The side-car cut into the running board and rode with the motorcar some distance. He stopped the car within about thirty feet of where the impact took place. The impact threw witness from his seat. He went on about eight or ten feet after the motorcycle became detached from his car. After the collision Mr Jeffrey was greatly upset and was crying. Beatrice Latter, wife of the defendant, said that ’K'hen they saw the gig her husband blew the horn and on , reaching the crossing the motor-cycle came “ almost as a bolt from the blue ' and crashed into the car, she being showered with broken glass. Witness corroborated the evidence of her husband regarding the occurrence of the collisionClement Francis Wilson, a passenger in the car also gave evidence. (Proceeding.)