CHARGE OF SPEEDING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5036, 6 October 1926, Page 1

CHARGE OF SPEEDING.

MOTORIST AT HIKUTAIA.

TELEGRAPH POLE HIT

At the Police Court, Paeroa, ‘>n *no)Uiod T ‘Xupuoyi S.M., David George Chalmers, traveller, Mt. Eden, was charged with driv-

ing his car at a dangerous' speed on the Paeroa-Thames main highway at Hikutaia on September 9. Mr R. S. Carden appeared for defendant and pleaded not guilty. Mrs M. Goldsworthy, Hikutaja, said that on the day in question she was returning from a. store at Hikutaia when a car passed close to her. Shortly afterwards she saw defendant’s car pass a stationary ca,r which was bn the side of the road, and immediately it seemed to spin round and go sideways. The car, when she first noticed it, was approaching at a fast speed, and Was rocking. She did. not notice the car right itself ajter passing the stationary car, but she did not see. it crash into the post, although she heard the bang. To Mr Carden witness said that she could not swear that the car skidded. C. J. Reid said he had noticed the manner in which the defendant’s car was ebing driven. Defendant might have been dodging the ruts, but the car was swinging from one side of the road, to the other. He did not see the accident occur.

Frederick W. Bennett said that when riding home, on horseback that day the defendant’s car, which was, being driven at a fast pace, forced him on to the side of the roa ; d, and passed him “too close to be comfortable.”

To Mr Carden witness said that his horse had not shied. Defendant had sounded the horn when approaching. When passing, the car had brushed his, oil-coat. Fred. Green also gave evidence of Seeing the ca<r pass at a fast pace. Constable McClinchy said that he had taken measurements 'at various points near the. spot where the car had run down a bank, then up an incline, finally striking a telegraph pofe and moving it eight inches;. To Mr Carden witness said that the. car had travelled about a chain off the road before striking the pole. Herbert J. Jamieson, said that he was just moving off in his own car when defendant passed him. Defendant was driving ,at a reasonable speed for a country road. Just near where his car was there was a quantity of loose metal, where it looked, asi if the car had skidded.

To Sergeant Maclean witness said he could not account for the Car skidding, unless the driver had lost control. There was about a foot of loose metal on the roadside.

David George Chalmers, defendant in the case, said that he wasl proceeding through Hikutaia at about 15 miles an hour. In passing another car he turned his car sharply and a skid occurred. He steered into the skid, which had the effect of causing a skid in the opposite direction. A diagram (produced) showed the course the car had taken. Defendant had run down an incline into slushy mud. The brakes were .applied, and when through the mud, hisi intention was to get up the incline, but five feet to the left of the pole there was a mound, which was struck by the front wheel, causing the car to swing into the telegraph pole. There had been heavy rain through the night The road through t . Hikutaia was very rough, and it was necessary to sjwerve in and out to dodge the poti-hbles.

To Sergeant Maclea.n defendant said that Mrs Goldsworthy was on the grass off the. metal when he passed her, and she appeared as if she was going to enter a. gateway. He hp.d driven the car 7000 miles in Av® months and had never had .an accident of any kind. William Patrick Pennell, motor driver, Paeroa, said that if! a car skidded badly in soft ground it was not wise to apply brakes. A car travelling at 8 or 10 miles an hour washable to skid. A car going at 15 miles an hour and skidding in soft ground might easily travel a couple of car lengths before being pulled up. To Sergeant Maclean witness said that when a car had way on the brakes were the only meajns of stopping it, provided there was a clear run.

David McWatters, Paeroa, said that he h’ad taken defendant down to Hikutaia to see the witness Bennett, and had heard Bennett say that the car driven by defendant had touched his colat as it passed him.

Benjamin McGuire, Paeroa, said that defendant had passed him at a reasonable rate of speed. He later saw the skid marks, and thought the car ha,d skidded in the loose metal.

Mr Carden said that it was an unfortunate set of circumstances. The repairs, to the car would run into from £3O to £4O.

The Magistrate said that no doubt the defendant had been driving far too fast, and from the evidence it looked as if he had lost control of his ca,r. In view of the fact that defendant would have heavy expenses to meet for repairs he would take that into consideration when inflicting a penalty. As a warning to others defendant would be convicted and ordered to pay costs £3 8s Bd.