SENT TO GAOL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 219, 16 September 1938, Page 10

SENT TO GAOL.

YOUNG MOTORIST. INTOXICATION CHARGE. COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE. In sending a young man to prison to-day for seven clays for being in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motor car in Karangahape Road last Saturday afternoon, the magistrate, Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, re: narked that this short term was only imposed because of the youth of the accused, Clarence William'Hardmau. Hardman, a labourer of 22. for whom Mr. (Jeorge Skelton appeared, pleaded guilty.

Snb-Tnepeetor Fox that at 1.50 p.m. last Saturday a Mrs. O'Connor and her daughter, aged 5. were walking along the centre of the footpath outside (ieorge Court's when the car driven by Hardman mounted the footpath. The- car etruek and knocked down both mother and <-hild. Mrs. O'Connor was carried along several feet by the car while her daughter was thrown to the side. Mi«. O'Connor was unconscious when picked up and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance suffering with concussion. She was not likely to suffer any t—rioun result. Her daughter suffered r-hock and ruistained bruises and wfl* allowed to return home after attention at the hospital. "Swerving and Wobbling." Hardman was found sitting in the car in an intoxicated condition. "Some witnesses on the ecelie " say they *aw j the accused in the oar before the aeci- j dent," added Mr. Fox. '-One man says | lie saw a car wobbling when being driven up Queen Street from Shoitland Street a few minute* prior to the accident, ami as it parsed he called out to the driver, 'Why don't vou look where you wengoing." Thir= 'man boarded a Pimsonby tVain and not long afterward* he flaw the. same driver *till i" the car outride; (Je,,i-ge Court's. Other witnesses say they j saw 'the car swerving from side to side before it r-triiek Ilie woman and child. The examining doctor certified that Hardman v. drunk and tinfit to have charge of a car." !

i It was submitted by Mr. Skelton that [ the ca*e wns not one of a man de.liher- , ,ilclv drinking and taking tlio risk of I driving. Accused bad only consumed [ throe half handles of beer, and witnesses could he called to state that when lie j left them in Shortland Street a few 1 nfmutos before the accident he was quite all right and not affected by the liquor. His condition after the accident was no doubt aggravated by what occurred. Hartlinan was, travelling in a line along i Karangahnpe Road when the car in front of liw stopped suddenly. He ! pulled out to the left and struck the !e;tr in front a ulaneinir blow which forced J his car up on to the footpath. "I sug- ' gi>>t the ends nf justice will be met if ' voiir Worship fines him rather than sending him t<> janl. and cancelling his ! driving license for four or five years." s;iid counsel. "Hardnian has already spent a week-end in jraol and he is very I sorry for what has happened." Lesson to Others. "I can see no difference between what this young fellow of 22 has done and what an older man might have done," said Mr. Orr Walker. ''He ehoosee to take sufficient liquor to make him drunk :ind his ear gets on the footpath in a busy street and knocks down a woman and child. -There is no difference be-: I ween a young fellow who take* liquor j and goes on the street as a potential murderer, and a much older man. I will take_ into consideration his youth and j previous good character and impose a 1 sentence that is lighter than what I would otherwise impose. He will be sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. I hope this will be a lesson to all young men who take liquor and then * drive | ear**." i Hardman's license was cancelled for I one vear. I