DANGEROUS DRIVING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 41, 4 March 1937, Page 15

DANGEROUS DRIVING

New Year's Eve Accident YOUTH TREATED LENIENTLY The sequel to a collision befcween a motor-cycle and a lorry at the interseotion of Heretaunga street and Karamu road early on the morning of New Year's Eve last was enaeted in the Hastings Magistrate's Court yesterday, when Mr J. Miller S.M., convicted Malcolm McAlum McKenzie, the rider of the cycle, of driving in a manner dangerous to the publie. The defendant, who was not represented by counsel, pleaded not guilty. Evidence was given by Frederick Alhert Brock, of Napier, that he was driving his lorry aldng? Karamu road shortly after five o'clock on the morn ing in question. He was crossing Heretaunga street at a speed of from eight -to 10 miles an hour when he felt his vehicle etruck by another vehicle coming along Heretaunga street. The collision was at the rear of his lorry, and the cycle had obviously gone right under the back of the lorry. The rider had been injured and was later removed to hospital. Rolland S. Martin, a passenger in the lorry, said he aaw the cycle apprqaching at a speed between 25 and 40 miles per hour. The collision took place when ihe lorry was well on to the crossing. The road surface at the time was greasy owing to rain. Albert G. Weaver Baid he was etanding at the? corner and saw the lorry approaching at a very moderate speed. He heard the cycle coming along Heretaunga street, and judging from the noise it was going very fast. The cycle crashed into the rear of the lorry, At this stage His Worship commented on the fact that the defendant w not challenging any of the statements of the witnesses and appeared to have no defence to offer. The defendant'e father was called, and said that his son who was 18 years of age, had been badly shaken up by the accident and was not yet fully recovered from his injuries ivhich included fractures of the skull. The defendant attributed the acoident to the state of the road and contended that he.was not travelling more than 25 miles per hour at the time. His Worship said that under the cireumstances he would treat the case more or less as though the defendant was a juvenile. Had an application been made to him along this line he undoubtedly would have dealt with it in the ehijdren's court, for the defendant was obviously not in a state fully to appreciate his present position. Under the cireumstances his Worship said that he would treat the defendant lightly. He would be convicted and ordered to pay 35/- Court costs and his licence would h© endorsed.