PUKE ROAD COLLISION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5360, 5 December 1928, Page 2

PUKE ROAD COLLISION.

SEQUEL AT POLICE COURT.

WATTS HELD BLAMEWORTHY.

The collision betwqen a motor lorry apd a motor-cycle at the corner of Hill Street and Puke Road, Paeroa, on May 23, 1928, had a sequel in the Police Court, Paeroa on Monday, bef fore Mr F. W. Platts. S.M., when the police charged John Charles Glover with driving a motorcycle on Puke Road in a dangerous manner, and Thomas Watts with negligently driving a motor Iqrry. Mr E. J. Cleyidon appeared for Glover and Mr H. F. Purnell for Watts.

Evidence of having, seen the motorcycle pass him on Puke Road, bu,t not at an excessive speed, was given by L. Gibb, carpenter, Paeroa, who, stated that the cyclist swerved from the right-hand side of the road to the left at the corner and struck the lorry which had stopped. He did not hear either vehicle sound a warning on approaching the corner.

To Mr Clendon witness said that the lorry driver could not have seen the approaching cyclist. Mr Clendon : But he should have; stopped Witness: He did Stop, and that ; a iced the accident

Witness s;’H he doubted .whether Glove r was 50 yards from the corner when he commenced to swerve to his correct side of the road. It was dusk, but vehicles could be seen fqr some hundreds of yards, even when not lighted. As far as he could remember, both the lorry and the cycle had. lights. To Mr Purnell witness said that he heard the brakes of the lorry being applied before the lorry turned the cqrner. Constable L. Nichol, of Thames, stated in evidence that he had secured a statement from Glover, showing the positions of the vehicles up to the time of the accident. It was Glqver’s intention to pass behind the lorry, but it stopped and the collision occurred.. Constable J. Dawson, Paeroa, submitted a statement taken from Watts. In Watts’ opinion it was impossible to prevent the collision, as Glover .was on his wrong side of .the road. He had therefore turned sharply round the cqrner and stopped. He did not see Glover until he (Watts) was about 10 feet from the corner. Mr Clendon contended that there was no evidence of speeding by Glover, and with this the magistrate agreed. Mr Purnell submitted that the cyclist was travelling at an excessive speed. When a motor-cyclist admitted travelling at 25 miles an hour it could be taken that 'he was travelling much faster. The comer was a bad one, and there ha<P been accidents there before., He submitted that swerving .to the wrong sidle of the rqad to prevent what seemed a certain accident was justifiable. Thojnas Watts, the defendant, stated that he had been driving motor lorries in the locality for about three years, and knew the comer to be a dangerous qne. On this occasion he was travelling, at about 10 miles an hour. He saw the lights of the approaching motor-cyclist, slackened speed, and pulled right over to his correct side of Hill Street, thinking that the cyclist would be turning into Hill street, as he was so far out on the road. When he saw that the cyclist was not turning into Hill Street he changed down to second gear and turned sharply round the corned to. give the cyclist as much of the road as possible. He 'had barely turned the corner when the cyclist came across at right angles. Immediately- he saw Glover coming he applied the brakes and stopped the lorry at once. Glover struck the lorry when it . was stationary, and knocked the bumper through a front wheel and dislodged the front axle. To Sergeant Calwell Watts admitted that he could have pulled up when he first saw the cyclist, but did not do so as he thought from the position of the cyclist that he intended to turn into; Hill Street. The cyclist seemed to be travelling at between 25 and 30 miles an hour.

In delivering judgment the magistrate said that there was nothing, to show that Glover, was .travelling at an excessive speed. The charge against him would be dismissed.

In regard to Watts, the position of the Iqrry showed that he was in the wrong. The Court had no doubt that Watts was in the act of cutting the corner when the cyclist came upon him. Watts would be gonvicted and fined £3, with costs £1 17s 6d.