A MOTORING CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 May 1921, Page 6

A MOTORING CASE.

ALLEGED UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE.

PLAINTIFF AWARDED £BO.

In the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday, before Mr. Justice Reed, and a jury of four, the hearing was concluded of the claim for £250 made by Raymond Strong, of Hawera, against Arthur Knapton for alleged unlawful interference with a motor car.

Tn summing up, His Honor said the Jaw was that if a person gratuitously did work for another he was only liable, as far as damages were concerned, for gross negligence. k The question was whether this was the'.case of a man honestly desiring to assist a party of motorists in duffieulties, or whether it was a case of a negligent, interfering man, wjio, in spite of the protests of the people interested, meddled with the car. He pointed out that, though on one side the witnesses were more numerous than on the other, it was the duty of the jury to weigh the statements carefully and not to judge the evidence merely by the number of witnesses. The jury retired at noon, and returned at 2.15 p.m. with a verdict in favor of plaintiff as follows:—Repairs to car, £6O 4s 9d; loss of wages, £2O; total, £BO 4s 9d. The question of costs was reserved by his Honor, two of the questions at issue being whether the case was one that should have been brought in the Supreme Court, and whether only costs on the Magistrate’s Court scale should be allowed. Mr. P. O’Dea appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. F. C. Spratt, and Mr. L. M. Moss for defendant