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Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 363, 26 October 1932, Page 6

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car and truck SEQUEL TO COLLISION HEARD IN ' COURT NEGLIGENT DRIVER FINED f The sequel to a eollision near the j Laka House Hotel was the appearance in the Rotorua Pollce Court yes- i terday of David -roore, of Ohinemutu, i on a charge of negligent driving and of William Wilson on a similar charge, plus one of having no warning device in working order attached to his truck. Mr. R. A. Potter appeared for Moore and Mr. M. H. Hampson for Wilson. Senior-Sergaant Carroll said that a eollision took place when Moore was hacking his car out of his garage and th'et truck came along. Constahle Kelly said that he had inspected the site. The truck was close to the bank on its correet side. The car was facing Rotorua on its wrong side. The road was about 29 feet wide. Both drivers had admitted seeing the other's lights. Neither had stopped to avoid an accident but tbay could have done so. Wilson was as far over as he could get. Wilson's horn was not working. To Mr. Potter: All lights were working. To Mr. Hampson: Wilson had- said that he thought that the car -was going back to the garage. Constable Shilton gave 'evidence that he had assisted Constable Kelly to take the measurements. It appeared that Moore had backed into Wilson. Moore had told him that he thought Wilson would give him way. Moore refused to make any statement and seemed excited, alleging that the police were favouring Wilson which witness denied. It seemed to witness that Moore had been very careful but hecould have pulled up. Both parties had been negligent. To Mr. Potter: Wilson's brakes were in good order and he could have pulled up. The lorry had actually got partly past Moore's car. The charge against Wilson of r.egligence was dismissed by' the Bench without calling on the defence. Defendant's Evidence Defendant Moore gave evidence that •at about 6.40 he went to get his car from his garage and told his boy to keep a look out for other cars. He ran into the water table and then saw a light a long way ahead and thought that the car or truck would stop and give him time. The truck hit him and swung his car round elose to the hill. Witness was excited, fearing that his daughter who was a passenger in the car had been injured. Witness got Colonel Fraser to ring for the police. xjater Wilson came to see him and told him that the light was bad and admitted that he had sp-eeded up to get past him. Wilson " had offered to pay for the damage to witness's car. To Senior-Sergeant Carroll. Witness had been driving for 18 years. Witness could have waited until the other car had passed. Mrs. Moore stated that when Wilson called at her house he said that his lights wera dim and that he had no horn on his car. He was anxious not to corne to court and offered to pay the damage. He admitted that he had speeded up thinlcing that ha had time to get past. Corroborative evidence as to having been told by his fathor to keep a lookout for lights was given by a 13 year old son. To Senior-Sergeant Carroll: The car nearly capsized. Wilson was not going very fast. Mrs. D. Lang, daughter of Moore, gave evidence as to the precautions taken by her father when hacking the car out of his garage. When the impact took place the car was dragged around close to the bank. . The Bench said that defendant was obviously guilty of negligence in shooting across the road without keeping a look-out. He would be fined £1 and costs 10/-. Wilson was fined 10/- and costs 10/for failing to have a warning device in working order.