CLAIM FOR £1,347

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 900, 18 February 1930, Page 11

CLAIM FOR £1,347

WOMAN GIVES EVIDENCE FROM SICK-BED KNOCKED DOWN BY LORRY Lying on an ambulance bed in the Supreme Court today, a young woman of 24 years, Marjorie May Davidson, told the story of how she received injuries through being knocked down by a motorlorry at the corner of Pitt Street and Karangahape Road on June 17 last. Her evidence was in support of a claim for £1,347' damages. Her injuries included a broken pelvis and fractured spine. TpHE defendant was a Chinese ' " market gardener, Ngue Man, of Avondale, the employer of Wong Sheen, who was alleged to have driven a motor-lorry negligently and unskilfully, knocking down Miss Davidson and injuring her. The plaintiff’s case was conducted by Mr. Singer, Mr. Goldstine representing the defendant. Counsel for plaintiff asserted that (he lorry-driver did not hold a licence and was unexperienced, having been driving the vehicle only three wmeks. He attributed the accident to the fact that Wong Sheen was not competent and had not taken the proper turn. The young woman, who was to have been married at Christmas spent three months in hospital and would not be able to get about for 18 months or two years. The injured woman described an illness which she had suffered eight years ago, but from which she completely recovered after treatment at Rotorua three years ago. She was keeping house for her mother and was in the best of health at the time of the accident. The witness was accompanying her fiance from the hospital when the accident occurred. She said that when crossing at the Pitt Street corner, she and her escort stopped in the centre of the road to allow'traffic coming from Karangahape Road to turn into Pitt Street. On moving on she noticed the lorry, driven by the Chinese, which was apparently proceeding straight down Karangahape Road, which swerved suddenly and knocked over both her fiancee and herself. She was tossed over several times and in more than three months in hospital she suffered agonising pain. The Chinese driver visited her at the hospital several times, and remarked: “Me go too fast; can’t turn, go slow better,” and on another occasion Wong Sheen commented: “My fault; werry sorry.” Dr. N. McDougall, radiologist at the Auckland Hospital, produced X-ray photographs of plaintiff's injuries. Dr. L. G. Drury considered that the injured woman would not be fit to resume her former active life for 13 months to two years, so serious were her injuries. (Proceeding.)