MAORI WOMAN’S DEATH.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17493, 29 August 1928, Page 8

MAORI WOMAN’S DEATH.

TE AROHA FATALITY. CHARGE AGAINST LORRY DRIVER. A-T SUPREME COURT. (Continued from page 7.) Constable Monson, of Te Aroha, who investigated the accident, said that Walker smelled strongly of liquor and was unsteady on his feet. Witness iemarked “You have been drinking, to which Walker replied “ I have had a few.” Witness also asked him how the accident occurred and he said the steering gear went wrong. Witness considered that even when Walker was at the police station he was then unfit to have charge of a motor vehicle, despite what Dr. Laurence said. Constable Barnes, of Te Aroha, said hn asked Walker, at the police station, how many drinks he had had. He replied “ seven or eight ”. Witness regarded him as intoxicated at the time and unfit to have charge of a motor vehicle. In opening for the defence, Mr Strang said’ the Crown evidence was so diverse and so uncertain on the question of accused’s sobriety, that it would be exceedingly dangerous to find that he was drunk when the accident happened. He admitted that he had had a few small whiskies, but he would say that he was in full possession of his faculties. A moment before the accident accused had negotiated safely a narrow bridge and the remarkable thing was that the vehicle went over the bank on the wrong side of the road. It would be stated in evidence that the steering gear was faulty, and that this was the cause of the/ vehicle running off the road. It had also been shown that the brakes were not effective. His Honour: I will tell the jury that the brakes should have been in order. He has no right to he travelling with a lorry on the ro- is with inefficient brakes". It is like , letting a tiger loose on the roads. It is a menace to everybody else on the road. His Honour said prisoner could not rely upon his own negligence in not having his brakes in order, as a defence for the accident. Prisoner, in evidence, said he was a carrier of Wabaroa. He was an experienced motor driver. The lorry he drove on the occasion in question was a second-hand one which he purchased six months before. About 10 days prior to the accident he noticed a shimmeying of the wheels, and he had arranged to have this remedied. Allhough he had a few small whiskies at the Waihou Hotel, he had full possession of his faculties. After crossing the bridge the ’ wheels commenced to wobble and he tried to pull up the vehicle without success and next moment it veered over to the right and toppled over the bank. (Proceeding.)