£5000 CLAIM

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1931, Page 5

£SOOO CLAIM

COMMANDER DALTON’S OPINION

(By Telegraph —Per Press Association

WELLINGTON,' September 16

In the aeroplane damages claim case Wing-Commander Grant Dalton gave evidence that he had come to the' caiiemsion that the machine had staked on the turn. This wa s a common cause, of accidents. lie would not nave given Kight a B license. He did not consider him fit, and would not ha\e gone up with him.

His Honour: W.hat was the trouble with the man ?' i (’ Witness: Sir, Flight-Lieut. Kight and I were great friends. I told him many tinie s that I wouldn’t give him a B license. I didn’t think he was the right type to hold a commercial license I had seen him flying, but l wasn't satisfied, although he was passed at Wigram and at HobsonviLe.

Witness said that lie was, at Hastings on February Bth. He saw Bolt there, and Bolt told him that Kight was flying a Desoutter. Witness remarked to Bolt at the time that he .should not care to be with Kight in an emergency. Witness agreed that he had written to Kight telling him to present himself for medical examination. He hoped to refuse him a B license, through the Medical Board. The defence submitted that'the plaintiff must be non-suited on two broad grounds: That, there wits no evidence that the accident was caused by the negligence of the defendant Copip any, and that, in any event, the terms of .contract of carriage, as evidenced in the passenger ticket signed by Strand were a complete bar to the present proceedings. The case is proceeding.