ROAD TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Issue 51, 2 March 1931, Page 10

ROAD TRAGEDY

THE NOVEMBER SMASH

CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES

HUTT ROAD WRECK

The Supreme Court was engaged thit ; I afternoon in hearing actions arising out of motor-car collisions which occurred on the Hutt road on 17th November ' last, and which resulted in the-death oi Mr. A. J. Wiggs- and injuries to Dr.. Findlater, Miss Findlater, Mr. Henry; , Bighani, and Mr. Jorgcnsen. J Dr. Findlater claimed £1000 and ape-; cial damages. Miss Findlater claimed I £500 and special damages; and Mr. Henry Bigham £,300 and special dam» ages. His Honour the Chief Justice (Sif ; Michael Myers) occupied the Bench. : Mr. C. A. L. TreudwcH and Mr. H. I J. V. James appeared for Dr. Find- j later, Miss Findlater, and Mr. H. Big- , ham. «„ ' Mr. C. B. Cooke and Mr. Christie ap-1 peared for Dr. and Miss Findlater m I their capacity as^ defendants in an ac-1 tion brought "by Mr. Jorgensen. ■ Mr. I'!' B. Fitzherbert .and Mr. A. J. Mazengavb appeared for Mr. Jorgensen. Mr. W. E. Leicester and Mr. Watterson appeared for the Public Trustee, administering the estate of Mr. • Wiggs (deceased) and the Queensland Insur« ance Company. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for. Mm, Dwan. In. his opening address, Mr. Tread- ■ well said that about ten minutes t» midnight on the"night in question Miss ' Findlater was driving her sister's car along the Hutt road, going home to , Potone. Her sister was sitting behind her, with Mr. Bighani by her side. A red car, driven by Mr. Walters, was in. front of the car, about four lengths away. Th Je night was dark but fine. Suddenly Mr. Walters's car swerved to the right to avoid colliding with a car driven by the deceased Mr. Wiggs, which was, counsel alleged, on the wrong side of the Toad, being driven, towards town and without lights. Mr._ Wiggs and Mr. Walters swerved their, cars to avoid an accident; and ft moment later Wiggs's car crashed into Dr. Findlnter 's car. The marks on the road wokild show that the collision took place on the western side of the bitumen track. As a result of the collision, Dr. Findlater's car and Mr. Wiggs's car, were wrecked, and Miss Findlater was thrown out and rendered unconscious; Dr. Findlater's car turned round, and •was'faeingHhc hill, ori her right sida of tho road. The red car, on the accident being noticed, was driven back to tho scene of the accident; and, as. it reached Wiggs's car, which\was on its correct sido of the road, another car, driven by Mrs. Dwan, coining. from town, crashed 'into Dr. Findlater's car, ' doing the bodily injuries of which Dr. Findlater and Mr: Bigham 'complained. After counsel's opening addr.-\» medical evidence was called. (Proceeding.)