CHARGE DISMISSED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 June 1939, Page 9

CHARGE DISMISSED

ACCIDENT ON POST OFFICE INTERSECTION. SPEED OF MOTOR CYCLIST. ‘‘This accident seems to have been caused by the speed of the motor cyclist as he admits seeing the car some distance away,” said Mr. H. P. Lawry, 3.M.. in the Masterton Court today in dismissing a charge against A. K. Scott, of having driven a motor car without due care and attention in Queen Street, Masterton, on April 23. “The only breach is that he did not give the required hand signal,” said the Magistrate. Scott was represented by Mr. C. C. Marsack, whose main contention was that the motor cyclist did not have sufficient light. on his cycle and that' he saw the car in plenty of time. Constable R. J. Berry, in evidence, 'stated that on April 23 he was called to an accident between a motor cycle and a car on the Post. Office intersection. At the time of the accident the motor car was making a right hand turn into Lincoln Road. Both parlies agreed on the point,.of impact. A. J. Henderson, rider of the motor cycle, said that on the night in question he was travelling down Queen Street and just on the Post Office intersection a car turned to the right. Witness did not have time to pull up and swung over hard to the right to save going under the front wheels of the car. He was thrown off his cycle. Evidence was given by Constable R; C. Hollis to the effect that Scott, in a statement, to the police, admitted that he gave no hand signal when turning “as he did not consider it necessary because on the right no driver following would have seen it. He was also not aware that any traffic was following. He took all reasonable precautions, said Scott, in evidence. At the time it was raining and he did not see any traffic coming in front or behind. His speed at the time would be about 15 miles per hour. At the time of the collision the front portion of his car was nearly into the cross street. After the accident he went across to where the motor cycle was lying and noticed that the light on the cycle was not full on. The force of the impact was fairly severe. Similar evidence was given by B. Wilmshurst, a passenger in Scott’s car.