CASES OF NEGLIGENT DRIVING.

Shannon News, 25 March 1924, Page 3

CASES OF NEGLIGENT DRIVING.

SHANNON DRIVER CHARGED

Joseph Edward Warrington,- fanner, of Shannon, was proceeded agwinst for that on the 9th January, 1924, he had at Ohau driven a car negligently and without projpr control. Defendant conducted his own case’ and Constable Bagrie appeared jor the Police. In opening the case, the police stated that the defendant would admit that on the date in question the car had been out of control for a short time, but he was not prepared to admit that .the excuse put forward was admissable. Albert Victor Horning, the first witness called, remembered the date in question. He had been leading pedigree cattle to the Levin show in company with his daughter and a Maori boy. The defendant was coming from the rear and dashed right at his little girl, who only escaped by tfle .merest* chance. The car had appeared to follow, just missing his daughter three times. Another car was coming and was driven by Mr Matheson, of Levin. He had pulled up and agreed that the defendant was driving furiously and negligently. Cross-examined by defendant he was

perhaps overstating the matter when • he stated his daughter had nearly I been run o.ver three.times. It was, however, a miracle that she had esescaped. ' Donald William Matheson deposed that on the date in question he had been going to Otaki. He had seen Mr Homing leading cattle and* saw a car driven recklessly through the • cattle. The defendant had passed an- ■ other car and shot between the child and her father and the boy and certainly it seemed as if he • almost struck the child three' times .The'

car was travelling at about 35 to 40 > miles: pjer hour and gave the impression of .bucking:—that was the nearest he could describe it. He had been so sure that he himself was going to be struck that he' had pulled right off the road. Defendant: -Do "your think that any man could drive a Ford car at 40 miles per hour. Witness: !Qfat was the trouble, you had not control of the car. Defendant, sworn, deposed to be coming into Ohau, when a sand-fly had got into' his eye. The car had swerved whilst he tried to remove it, and his fingers catching the feed lever had accelerated’ the speed of the car. There cirtainly had been some danger to the child, but he could not have avoided it. To the Police: He had,,driven a car for about eight months. The Police: Do you not know that with a Ford car all you have to do is to press-your foot on the clutch in order te» stop it. Witness: I had my foot on the brake. Had I pulled up any quicker I would have turned over.,, . . A fine' of £1 and costs 26s were in- ' dieted. „ f