A COLLISION RECALLED.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 88, 14 August 1915, Page 3

A COLLISION RECALLED.

HEAD v. WISHART. COURT GIVES JUDGMENT FOR PLAINTIFF. An echo of the accident which occurred on the night ol June o on tho Opunake Road between Fredrick Head and William Henry Wishart was heard in* the Stratford Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, when Head claimed £l2 11s from Wishart for medical expenses, repairs to gig. and £lO lor loss of commission. Mi' Macalister appeared for plaintiff and Mr R. Spence for defendant.

Fredrick Head said he was, on June 5, at about 6 o’clock, returning from To Kniti to Stratford in a light buggy with one horse. About a chain from the Stratford side of Hastings Road he was driving along a straight piece of road, slightly uphill, about lour or fivo miles an hour. Ho had been nearly JO miles that day. He heard a. shout and raised his loot to put on the brake, but before he could operate it the collision occurred. The force ol the collision and the buggy tipping at the back threw him up in the air and he hung from the brake by the foot. Up to the time of the accident he, did not see defendant’s gig at all. The wheels were locked after the collision occurred. His horse, alter swerving to the right, stopped with his feet on the bank. During this time he was hanging by Ida foot, which was jammed on the brake. Two men went to his assistance. The men separated the horses and pushed his buggy hack Ul the centre of the road. The lamp and bracket were torn off the buggy bv the force of the impact. After looking for the lamp one of the men said he picked it up and put it in plaintiff’s buggy. v On driving into Stratford 'the left hand light went out. the right hand lamp burnt out in the stables. He had to travel slow as the shaft was damaged. When he arrived * a t the stables ho had to get a motor car to take him home. A doctor was called, and he said he would have to lay up for a fortnight; when the doctor was called in jit' the end of that period he said another week, was required before he would be right. It was two months since the accident occurred and he still had trouble with Vs leg', , . Dr Steven gave evidence as to attending Head after the accident and gives particulars as to the injuries received. William James Coates said, he was driving from Stratfold and arrived jui Itiie (scene of the accident a few seconds: after it had occurred. He helped to extricate the horses and Rigs, which;, were locked together. This'ended, the case for'plaintiff. William Henry Wishart. of Mahoe. said ho was driving home from Stratford about 5.30 o’clock on June 5. and the night was very dark. “When he came to the widest parjj of the road he saw’.Head' and he pulled in and pulled tup om Ills ■ correct sidy, Hy;,could 1 see there'was going to he an accident, so he .gace his horse a cut with the w-hip and-(pulled on the right baud rein, ; blit the luua&,«w-aSw.tAQ .bite. Jit starting and they collided. Plaintiff’s ,hprse might have hid the light from s one of the lamps from the potion K ((defendant) Was in. He wouldl'ivo'Csay* tii’at plaiptilfi had, -light. Tim , horses and buggies were yxUicated, |if-. ter some trouble.' The shaftyiii,plaintiff’s gig was cracked, .but it would , last for weeks. Just before the accident occurred he saw it was eminent

and pulled Ids horse right on to tlid soft part of the road to give plaintiff (he metal. His left hand shaft caught plaintiff’s left hand wheel. The wheels were not locked. If they had of been the buggies would have turned over. He admitted having no lights. The Magistrate, in giving his deci-‘ si on, said that travelling without lights was no doubt the cause of the accident. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £lO 11s and costs £3 15s fid. !