BUS DRIVER FINED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 171, 6 August 1937, Page 3

BUS DRIVER FINED

•Pret? AimocisHon.)

Echo of Mason's Flat Accident

(B? rptegraph-

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Alexander Hugh Miiler, driveT of the Hawarden school bus in which several children were seriously injured on May 10, was before the Magistrate's Court at Culverden to-day charged with negligent driving. He was iined £7 and ordered to pay costs. His license was suspended and he was prohibited from obtaining another until February- 5, 1939. Miiler claimed that the accident was due to the jamming of the accelerator pedal. Two charges were preferred - against Miiler, one of driving negligently in Dalmeny road, Mason's Flat, and the second of driving without due care and attention. The charges were hcard by Mr. H. A. Young, S.M. Sub-Inspector D. A. MacLean, who prosecuted, said that going towards a small bridge on Dalmeny road something went wrong and the bus went off the road mounting a little hill 18 inches to two feet higk. and then careering about 33 yards diagonally across the road till it hit the stump of a tree. The engine of the bus was pushed back and considerable damage done. Some of the children in the bus were seriously injured, one suffering a fractured skull and others severe facial injuries. Soino were still in hospital. For the defcnce Mr. D. VW. Russell said Miiler actually used great judgmeut in avoidiug a 40-foot chasm into which tho bus would have fallen had he not steered for the tree. "I think he was negligent in letting the bus run up the IS-inch or two-feet rise," the Magistrate said after hearing the evidence and Mr. Russell 's submissions. Mr. Russell said that Miiler had lost _ his job and was now a groom in a stab'le. He suffered a broken jaw and other injuries in the aceidenr. Miiler was iined on the charge of negligent driving, the charge of driving without due care and attention • being withdrawn. _