Donald Ross ROWLISON

Five Injured In Collision

Three of five injured persons were admitted to the Grafton Base Hospital yesterday following a head-on-collision between two cars near the Junction Hill.

Those injured, were:-

Henry Edward Johnson (41), 6 Little Bacon street, Grafton, probable fracture to the right thigh and ribs, large lacerated wound to the nose, shock.

Maisie Irene Johnson (34), wife of Henry Edward Johnson, 6 Little Bacon street, Grafton, large lacerated wound to the throat, shock.

Donald Ross Rowlison (55), police sergeant, Casino, injuries to the left wrist and abrasions to the forehead.

Allan Campbell Middleton, (25), bank officer, Casino, injury over the left eye.

Roger Richard Maloney (55), hotel proprietor, Casino lacerated wounds to the forehead and right knee.

Those admitted to hospital were Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Maloney.

The taxi was returning to Grafton and the other car was proceeding to Casino.

The driver of the taxi was Mrs. Johnson, and of the car, Mr Maloney.

Both cars were extensively damaged.

False Pretences and a Cheque.

William Pearce, 50, was charged that at Frederickton on 25th August, he did falsely pretend to Ellen Bridget Frith that a piece of paper purporting to be a cheque drawn upon the Commercial Banking Company Branch at Gladstone was a genuine and available order for £5, with intent to defraud.

Sergt. Donald Ross Rowlison deposed: At 5.30 p.m. on 25th August last I saw defendant at Frederickton. He said his name was William Pearce, and that he’d been at the hotel that afternoon, and that he had cashed a cheque there.

He admitted that he had signed the cheque ‘W. Searle.’ He said Searle was his name, and that he did not tell everyone his name.

I took him to the hotel, where I had a telephone conversation with the Bank manager at Gladstone. I told Pearce that the Bank manager had said he did not know him, and that W. Searle did not have an account there.

Pearce said: ” That is funny. I have been a farmer in the Gladstone district for 35 years.

I said I was not satisfied, and I asked him to come with me to the Police Station.

At the Police Station I warned him that his answers would be taken in writing and might be used in evidence. He said he’d used the name of William Pearce as he was a sick man with a growth and had been drinking. He’d got an idea he’d like to go to Sydney to see a doctor, and so had presented the cheque. He said his name was not Wm. Searle, but was William Pearce, and that he had no banking account anywhere. I produce the cheque.

It has been altered on the front. The cheque originally was on Kempsey branch of the Bank of Australasia, and has been altered to the Commercial Bank branch at Gladstone.

I produce an affidavit signed by E. O’Donnell, manager of the Commercial Bank branch at Gladstone, which states that there was no account there in name of W. Searle.

I had not known the defendant prior to the date of his arrest.

He told me he was an invalid pensioner and had lived at Gladstone for some time. He said he still had the £5 received from Mr. Frith. He gave me £5 in notes, and I now tender it to the Court.

I asked him why he didn’t go to the Police if he was a sick man, as they would have admitted him to hospital. He said they’d only make him an out door patient.

Later, in company with Const. McAuliffe, I saw accused. Const. McAuliffe said he knew him, and said he’d twice sent accused to Sydney for radium treatment.

I said to accused: ” You told me you couldn’t get to Sydney except as an out-patient.” He said I must have misunderstood him.

Mrs. W. A. Frith, wife of the licensee of Frederickton Hotel, deposed: I saw accused at my hotel on the evening of 25th August. He told me his name was Searle, and that he came from Gladstone. He asked me to cash a cheque.

I supplied him with a cheque form on the National Bank of Australasia and Mr. Frith filled it in. It was altered to make it payable at Gladstone Commercial Bank, and it was filled in for the sum of £5, and accused signed it. Accused handed me the cheque to cash, and I gave him £5 in one pound notes for it.

I later saw accused at the hotel with Const. Rowlison.

Accused pleaded guilty and elected to give evidence on oath.

William Pearce deposed: I live at Gladstone. I am an invalid pensioner. I filled in the cheque in the name of W. Searle, and I got £5 for it. I wanted the money to go to Sydney to see a doctor. I was not drunk at the time, but I was nearly mad with pain from the malady from which I suffer. I had made no application to the Police or to the Sydney Hospital for treatment.

Frederickton is four or five miles from Gladstone. I was not known in Frederickton. I have never had a banking account at Gladstone.

Sergt. Johnstone: In 1930 accused was convicted for forgery and uttering.

The P.M.: I will disregard those previous convictions.

Accused is fined £5, in default ten day’s hard labor. The £5 taken from defendant to be handed to Mrs. Frith.

Pearce was allowed time to pay at the rate of £2 per month.

The P.M. added that Pearce could make application to the Police for hospital treatment if he was ill.

Interesting Traffic Case.

Harold J. Blight was charged with negligent driving and also with failure to report on a motor accident to the Police. He pleaded not guilty, and was represented by Mr. H. J. Stewart.

Const. Donald Ross Rowlison deposed: About 9 a.m. on 5th April last I saw defendant in Frederickton. I told him I understood he’d had an accident in Frederickton and had knocked over a young man, Roy Keast, on a bicycle.

He said he’d been driving his car through Frederickton at 5 p.m. and had noticed a man on a bicycle on his correct side of the road. The sun was in his eyes, he said, and he’d driven into the middle of the road to give the cyclist ample room.

He’d heard a slight bump, and his wife had said.: ‘Look out.’

He said he’d pulled up and had seen a young man lying on the road.

The man had a cut ear and an abrasion on his elbow. He said he’d rung for the doctor and ambulance, and the man was taken to the hospital.

He said he didn’t know he had to inform the Police of the accident. I saw no marks on the car. The bicycle was a wreck.

Defendant said he didn’t know Keast’s cycle was lying in front of his car, and he had run over it when he went to shift his car. Defendant said he’d been travelling at 20 miles per hour. He didn’t know how the man was knocked off the bicycle.

To Mr. Stewart: The sun does catch one suddenly in the eyes coming up that hill. I have no reason to doubt the truth of any part of Mr. Blight’s statement. I’ve, been informed that he is a particularly slow and careful driver.

Mr. Blight did all that one could possibly do after the accident happened. He also took the lads parents up to the hospital.

Roy Keast deposed: I am 20 years old. On 22nd April I was riding a bicycle in Frederickton. I was travelling up; up towards Kempsey. I was on my correct side; my right hand side. I would drive a car on my left side. I was a good way from the church. I was near Garner’s place. I didn’t know anything till I got up. I had a cut ear and a skinned elbow. I gave £5 for the bicycle second-hand. They lifted me onto a bed and took me to hospital. I could see a good way; I could see as far as the next hill. I didn’t know what struck me.

To Mr. Stewart: I was not zig zagging about. I was on the tar all the time.

Harold J. Blight deposed: I am a builder and contractor. I have a 1927 Buick. I have been driving that car since 1928. Mr. Keast’s handle bar caught the mudguard. The cycle was really broken after the accident. To Sergt. Johnstone: I saw Keast plainly. He was 8 or 9 feet in on the bitumen, which is 19 to 20 feet wide there. I didn’t blow the horn to warn Keast as I came to him.

To the P.M.: Only for the boy swerving I would have missed him.

The P.M.: Case dismissed.

In regard to the charge of failing to notify the Police of the accident, the P.M. found the offence proved but dismissed it under Section S56A, with a total of £1/0/2 costs.

It was stated that Mr. Blight, in addition to paying other costs, had already replaced the bicycle.

APPOINTMENT.

Colonial Treasurer’s Department.

HIS Excellency the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, and upon the recommendation of the Commissioner of Police, has approved of the undermentioned Police Officer being appointed an Inspector under the Tobacco Act (47 Victoria, No. 12), viz.:—

Constable Donald Ross Rowlison, stationed at Nymboida, — as from 16th December, 1926, vice Constable William Wilson.

JOHN T. LANG,

Colonial Treasurer.