A Motor Collision.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 3 December 1915, Page 2

A Motor Collision.

CASE LN LEVIN fcJ.'M. OOUJKT. A collision between a motor car aim a motor bicycle formed the , basis ol ;i civil action that came before Mr Poyatou, 5.51., at Levin on Thursday morning. The case is To bo lurther heard aI; Wellington where piamtiff resides, and where his side of the affair will b ■ deposed to. The collision which ■forms the basis of the claim occurred in October last, on JfaeKakariki Mil.. A party conducted by Lindsay McDonald, of Heatherlea, was in the motoi car, jjaurenco McDunakl being die driver. The motor cycle was ridden by John Oointossa, who was plaintiff in the action heard yesterday. He claimed I'uO damages, and was represented by Mr Dickson. 'llie defendants counsel was Mr \Y. fcj. Park.

Evidence given by Laurence McDonald, driver of the motor car was to the effect that plaintiff came up hill (at the rate oi about 25 miles an hour) ait the wrong side of tlwj- road, ■his motor cycle colliding -with .-the cur which was going at about eight nines an hour. Plaintiff alleged that uie motor car party was on tne wrong sii'e of the road, and that the fault was theirs. There was a verbal dispute, alter the collision, resulting in the parties declining to excliange addresses, but evidence given yesterday showed that this was a matter oi etiquette and , not a desire to evade legal responsibility. The McDonald party (in the absence of Lindsay McDonald)* refused ti give their names. Plaintiff would not give his address." saying he had no address, and this rciiusai being made in the presence of Lindsay McDonald, the latter tore up liis own name and address which he had written out lor delivery to plaintiff, as soon as plaintiff would give his own. A further cause 01 grievance was tnat the plaintiff was left on the roadside with his broken cycle. Defendants' answer was that their car' (a four-seater) was overladen, having six pennons in it. Lindsay McDonald deposed that the plaintiff proved himself so unfair, threatening legal proceedings when lie was the cause of the accident, and w<l.3 absolutely in the wrong, that witness was disinclined to have anything more to do with him. Witness could estimate at what speedi plaintiff was going; he was no judge of motor pace Plaintiff contended t|iat he wae on the left side of the road, but he was not correct in tTiis.

W. Toung, a jockey, who was travelling in the McDonald party's car, deposed that plaint-m when lie saw the car, had the cycle in the- middle 01 the road. He seemed to get Bustled, and lie steered Ins cycle towards tne fence; that was to eay on the wrong side ol the road. The day was nne and the roads were dry. " The , "McDonald piirty was nothurrying. Costs were fixed in the case (to bo met ny the eventual loser), at £2 2s each for counsel andi £1 lls 6d for Voting, and 10s each for the witnesses McDonald.