CARS COLLIDE

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21040, 16 February 1940, Page 7

CARS COLLIDE

THREE PEOPLE INJURED RIGHT-HAND RULE BREACH Failure to observe the right-hand rule led to Cornelius Augustus Magner, a farmer, of Te Kowhai (Mr P. H. Watts) being convicted and fined £2 and costs by Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Hamilton, to-day. He pleaded not guilty. The case arose from an accident at the intersection of the Great South Road and the Te Kowhai Road, at the Te Rapa School comer. Evidence of the police showed that on October 28 last Magner was involved in a collision with a car driven by Ronald Alfred Haylock, of Wellington. Haylock said he was travelling north at 35-40 miles an hour. He reduced speed at the corner when he saw the defendant’s car, but Magner cut the corner and a collision resulted. Three people in Haylock’s car were injured and Magner’s car capsized. Magner had to hold his car off the road to prevent two of his children, who were pinned beneath, from being crushed. He stated in evidence that he thought he had plenty of time to make the turn and was actually on the opposite side of the road when Haylock veered into him. The magistrate said Haylock was entitled to think that Magner would observe the right-hand rule, and he should have because there was definitely a possibility of a collision. Magner was ordered to pay witness’ expenses amounting to £6 4s. The magistrate commented that Magner should have been charged with driving negligently.