MOTOR CRASH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17568, 19 June 1925, Page 11

MOTOR CRASH.

WOMEN CLAIM DAMAGES. CASE FOR DEFENCE. I laims for damages amounting to £1998 7s lOd, arising out of a motor accident on th® Lees Valley Road on November 11 last, wero before Mr Justiee M’Gregor, and a jury of .tirelvs in tbs Supremo Court to-day again. Th® individual claims by preintiffs were : Mrs M. .r. Mil] —Special damages, £l3 ss, general damages, £1250. Mrs H. D. .Sim, Mrs Hill’s daughter. General damages, £4-00. M'. J. Sim.—Special damages, £l2O 13s. IN . S. M Gibbon.—Special damages, £IOB 9s lOrl. Defendants tvero Charles David Gougli. owner of a car that collided with M'Gibbon's car, in which plaintiffs were riding, and Tracy Gough v lio drove C. D. Gough's car. Mr Donnelly, with him M r Thomas appeared for nil the plaintiffs, Mr M. ■I Gresson for Tracy Gough, and Mr Upborn for C. D. Gough. Evidence for defendants tvas continued. Tracy Gough, to Mr Donncllv, said that th® slope from the road towards the bottom of tho valley was very steep, and there, was danger of a car going over the bank if it kept too far out from tho hill-faco. .1 o liis Honor; He did not. remember saying anything to M ’Gibbon about Kaikoura motor-scrvico drivers, but ho said that service drivers, on roads of that nature, stopped in preference to going round another ear and taking the risk of going; over the edge. Hiving evidence the previous day, lie spoke heatedly when he said that plaintiff s witnesses told deliberate untruths. INl*Gibbon's oar ran into witness's car with a slight, head-on collision. Arthur iF.dmund Smith, motor-car importer, said that the Lees Valley Road was tho most dangerous road lie had driven on in tho South Island. On one side there was a drop of 800 or •jOO feet. Driving down the hill, and meeting a car going up, as G ough had done, tho only thing to do was to P U H ”1- In no circumstances would he try to pass a moving car there. Constable John Robertson said that Hi the scene of tho accident two drivers could see each other eighteen varejs away. There was a width of twelve ] of good running ground on the road, and on emergency a. further two feet could be used, but there was a slight slope there. To Mr Donnelly; He did not agree with everything Tracy Gough told him. Charles David Gough said that his car was doing eight or ten miles an hour. Ho did not, hear M’Gibbon’s horn. Tracy Gough pulled up. almost instantaneously. 'Witness did not think there woud be any impact, as his car had stopped, and lie thought that M'Gibbon would pull up. Ln the Oxford Hospital. Air Sim said that ho thought nobody was to blame, and that he was glad the accident was no To Air Ihoma«: He did not sav to Mr Sim: “If it had not been“ for my son I racy's generalship we would have been over the edge.” Mr Thomas; You ‘-ay it is a deliberate concoction by Mr Sim?—l won’t say that T agree with you. His Honor: He must have invented it?- -That's all 1 can say. He must have invented (he story and committed perjury in this Court'? r .simply say I never bad any such conversation with him. Dr O. H. Gould said that he dicl not think that Mrs Hill was an jnva* lid. l»ut she vas in a nervous condition. The fact of the action being heard would affect her. and she probably would improve when it was over. She could hare gone into Court. To Mr Donnelly: The accident might have had a good deal to do with her condition. Dr C. H. New ton said that he did nor regard Mrs Hill as an invalid. Klizaheth Gough, C. D. Gough’s wife.. "Wilfred Pears, hoot-shop manager. Joseph Henrv Suckling, motor engineer, gave evidence for the defence. George Ha inner, surveyor, called by Mr Donnelly, said that there was an available width of seventeen feet on the road at ihe scone of the accident. (Proceeding.)