DAMAGES AWARDED

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21415, 6 March 1935, Page 4

DAMAGES AWARDED

SEQUEL TO COLLISION BETWEEN CARS A sequel to > a collision between motor-cars on Christmas Eve was heard in the civil court yesterday before Mr H. A. Young, S.M., when C. S. Trillo, taxi proprietor, of Christchurch, claimed £157 14s lid as damages from Thomas Alexander De La Rue. farmer, of Fuller street, Kaiapoi. The magistrate gave judgment for the plaintiff and awarded him £65 14s lid for repairs and adjourned the case sine die so that legal argument on the recovery of revenue lost while the taxi was disabled could be submitted in writing. The plaintiff claimed that on or about December 24, 1934, the defendant drove his motor-car so negligently at the corner of Tuam and Durham streets as to cause it to collide with a taxi-cab belonging to the plaintiff and to damage it. The plaintiff claimed £157 14s lid, being cost of repairs, loss of revenue, and depreciation of the cab. Mr W. J. Hunter represented the plaintiff, Mr D. W. Russell the defendant, and Mr F. W. Johnston the driver of the taxi, William John Bannon. Mr Hunter contended that De La Rue had been grossly negligent, and the defence claimed that Bannon had shown contributory negligence. De La Rue said in evidence that his speed had been 28 miles an hour. He had had two drinks at an hotel in the City before the accident occurred. He was about 20 feet from the taxi when he first saw it. In giving judgment for the plaintiff, the magistrate said he was satisfied the defendant had been negligent and that the tax-driver had not.