MOTORS AND DRINK.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 303, 23 December 1929, Page 8

MOTORS AND DRINK.

THREE MEN F!NED.

NOT VERY SERIOUS CASES.

CHASE BY CONSTABLE,

BEER FOR CHRISTMAS PARTY.

Three Auckland men were fined a tctal of £26 by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court this morning for- being found in a state of intoxication while in

charge of motor cars. A "three-gallon keg of beer and four big bottles were found in the back of Reginald William Wooley's car when % constable chased and caught him about B.CO on Saturday evening. He is a motor mechanic, aged 26. Sub-Inspector McCarthy said Wooley was driving along Karangahape Road w!:en a constable tried to stop him, but the driver had apparently not seen the sicmal The constable chased and caught accused in another car. Wooley had told the constable that he had been working all day. and that <■- had got a loan of the car to take some beer to a Christmas i.r.rt". The c"r had been driven by accused in an erratic way. "I don't think the case is as serious as it sounds," said Mr. Lovegrove, who appeared for Wooley." "It's pretty serious at present," Mr. Hunt assured counsel. "Wooley was going to a party, and called at a hotel to pick up some liquor, unci while doing this ho had one drink. The car belonged to a friend of Wooley's, who drove to' Grey Lynn. Then accused was given a loan of the car to drive home," said Mr. Lovegrove. "The explanation of the fact that the car was driven erratically was for the reason that \r T ooley had" swerved to avoid some broken glass. The doctor who examined Wooley had said that he was cf a very excitable nature. I hope that under the circumstances you can treat the matter fairly lH'.tly." Wooley earns only £3 a week." Hp was driving in Karangaliape Road," said Mr. Hunt in surprise. "Well, ho is fined £20 for being found in a state of intoxication while driving a car, and another £1 for driving without a license. On top that, he is not to take out a license for six months. Ho can have fourteen days to pay." "Not Very Drunk." The escapades of Eric Norman Tincent, a salesman, aged 2S, were next heard about, and it was learned that he had been caught at 3 o'clock on Sunday morning. The sub-inspector mentioned that a constable had seen accused steering an erratic course. He 'had turned from Queen Street into the railway station, and had come out into Customs Street, whore the constable pulled him up. Mr. Smythe, who represented Vincent, raid that accused had obtained a position scllins , shares only, a short tinio ago. 1I« was not addicted to drink. He was a married man with children, and if his license were taken away from him it would hit him hard. It was the firm's car which he was driving. There was nobody about at such an early hour of tho morning, and the lanes which he had driven down were very narrow. It would have been hard enough for a man who had not had drink to negotiate the lanes. Vincent was prepared to take out a prohibition order, if the magistrate coulrl see his way clear to deal with the case lightly. "He was certainly not very drunk,"' said the sub-inspector. Vincent was fined £5, and his license was cancelled for three months. He was allowed fourteen days in which to find the money. "Certainly, Sir." "I don't iiivj mo mw ui these taxi drivers iniving urmk,' saiu Air. iiunt, when Wuiiaiu biuion Outrun, ugea ■t-j, u taxi driver, came ueiore luin. • "This is not really a very bad case, , ' saia bub-inspector jicCurtiiy. "Outrun was iound asicep in nia car in Welling: ton Street at 2.M ou Sunday morning." VVhen he lound tnat Uα had Had too muwi to drink lie pulled his car into tlie bide of the road, i understand tiiat lie lias had a good deal of trouble lately." Claiming that Out rim was one of tlie most decent taxi owners in Auckland, Mr. Fleming , , who apepared for Outrim, said that lie had a iiumuer of leading citizens who would speak ou his behair, including a member of the Licensing Committee. Accused was a man who drank very little, but he had had a hard time lately: He had done rive trips to Hamilton at short intervals, and was run down. Accused had got a job at i o'clock in the morning to take two men to Ponsonby. He mentioned to them that he had a bad headache, and they persuaded him to have a whisk). This being his last job for the night, he decided to have a drop.

"When he found the drink working on him, Jie pulled his car up, and rung up for somebody to come and drive him home. But the 'phone was engaged, and in the meantime he went to sleep in his car," concluded Mr. Fleming.

"If you want to keep your license, you've got to take out a prohibition order," said the magistrate.

''Certainly, su," was the reply. "All right. Fined £1 and costs," said Mr. Hunt.