THE MOTOR MANIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3509, 27 April 1912, Page 5

THE MOTOR MANIA.

■ AND THE CRAZE FOR SPEED. WHAT IS A FAIH THING ? CONFLICTING VIEWS. Evidence of an interest in", if conflicting' .nature, on the subject of a fair speed for motor cycles and cars mas beard at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr. W. A. Barton, S-.M., when Percival Wilkins Bayford, a travelling photographer, was charged with riding a motor bicycle on the Makaraka Road, in a manner dangerous to the public. Mr, Burnard appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty. Paaka Turei, clerk, said that on the date of the offence, lie saw defendant riding towards town, along the Makaraka, Road on a motor cycle, at anything up to twenty miles an hour. Witness was driving a buggy and got down on to the side of the road, when he saw defendant approaching. When defendant got alongside witness, his cycle swerved and the buggy capsized, the hor.se being frightened and jumping off the road. Witness was not hurt, but his wife and son (four years old) were bruised and cut. Defcndent did not stop and was a couple of chains away when witness recovered his feet. The horse bolted and the horse was injured and the trap damaged. 'Witness was certain of dofendandt’is identity. ’By Mr Burnard: Witness was going to Maaraka and defendant was coming to town. Witness could not say whether there were any ruts in the road, hut he would sav that defendant was riding a very erratic course. Defendant, was on his proper side of the road. Witness would say that defendant was riding at more than sixteen miles an hour. Witn.es would not say whether he intended to bring civil proceedings against defendant.

Mare Wlieta, wife of the last witness, said that, when the trap was passing the cemetery at Makaraka, defendant passed, going in the same direction. As soon as defendant reached the Makaraka Hotel he turned to come back. ’Witness asked her husband to pull on- to the side' of the read, ns she was afraid of the dangerous wav in.which defendant was approaching. She had never seen a •motor bicycle travelling so fast before. The cycle swerve dat a certain curve, the horse jumped, and all three mere thrown out, witness and her son being under the trap. Defendant did not stop. She was certain that defendant must have seen the buggy capsize. She was badly bruised, as a result of the accident. She could swear to defendant being the person who rode the motor cycle. Frank Robinson, clerk, said he was on the Makaraka road on the day in question. Defendant passed him on a motor cycle and must have keen going close on twenty miles an hour. Just as he crossed the railway line, lie saw defendant returning and lie also saw Turei on the Gisborne side of the railway. Defendant appeared to be going still faster .•owing back at something like 23 or 2-1 miles .an hour. Witness was about 250 yards in front of the buggy when defendant passed him the second time. Looking round witness saw the buggy overturned and then' saw the horse bolt. By Mr Burnard: It was possible that the effect of witness and defendant riding towards each other made the speed of the motor cycle apepar greater than it really was.

Sarah Barry (Mrs) gave a further account of the accident, stating that the defendant was travelling at a furious pace. She could not say what occurred when the trap overturned, because of the dust-clouds caused by the cycle.' ’<

Constable Moore said that, when he served defendant with the -summons, ‘defendant first denied and then admitted that he was at Makaraka- on Easter Sunday. Defendant then said that h e new nothing of the accident. Mr Barnard said that the evidence Went to show that defendant must have, been travelling at eighteen miles an hour. The question was whether this was a dangerous speed. In these days of motor locomotion, _ be contended that it was a fair speed. Motor ears travelled on the Makaraka road at up to 30 to 3-5 miles an hour almost every day. In other districts —Hawke's Bay, for instance- —motor cycles travelled up to 40 miles an hour every day. W. Bignell, motor mechanic, considered IS miles an hour a fair speed for a motor cycle, or a car. He would not consider _it necessary to slow down' when passing a vehicle, unless the horse appeared" to be fractious. The by-laws provided that a motorist must stop if a vehicle driver held his hand up. Harry Anderson said it was possible for" defendant to have ridden on the Makaraka. Road at 25 miles an hour. He considered 20 miles a- fail speed for the road. Defendant said that lie was riding at no more than To miles an hour. He passed several traps, but saw-none of them in trouble. To Detective Mit-clioll: A local police officer once warned him .that ho was exceeding the speed limit; Vincent Mclntosh, mechanical engineer, said that- he considered m) miles ail hour a fair pace at whicji to pass a vehicle, provided that the driver did not hold his hand up. His Worship said he was satisfied that 'defendant had ridden at an excessive rate of speed. • Ho had pa*mu Tucvi on the way out, and kue,\ ti c latter was on the road. ISotu ithstam. ing this, he rode back at a .furious rate. His Worship said-that the high rate of speed that defendant travel ed at must, at any rate, have contributed to the accident. Motor cyclists and motor car drivers drove at« furious rate, and at a rate very dangerous to the public. The maximum pennltx m-m MO a.ul His Worship inflicted a fine of £5, with Court costs (los), witnesses’ expenses (£1 9s). and interpreter’s fee (10 s Gel). 1 Defendant was allowed H v0 ’ , (1 ; V in which to pay the hue, m defai.-t 7 days’ imprisonment. ~ . Defendant was further charged that he rods a- motor cycle so as to cause an accident and failed to stop uihu the Occident occurred. Detective Mitchell, said lie. a-.so brought this charge in justice to tae police and Mr Burnard, accepting the evidence given oil. the former charge, His Worship said he was satisfied that defendant was +i avelling at so excessive a speed that he did not see the accident. Tb-e charge would be dismissed.