TEN DAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 50, 28 February 1940, Page 9

TEN DAYS.

HIS SECOND OFFENCE.

INTOXICATED IN CAR.

"IRRESPONSIBLE DRIVER."

Arrested shortly after eight o'clock last night, William Jamee Trainor (42), a labourer, appeared this morning before Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., in the Police Court to admit that he was in a etate of intoxication while in charge of a motor car in Great North Road. Remarking that this was Trainor'e second offence, the magistrate said he could not consider imposing a fine, so a term of ten daye' imprisonment was ordered.

8 Trainor, who aleo pleaded guilty to a charge of driving without a license, wae represented by Mr. W. Noble.

"Koad to Himself." Sub-Inspector Pender eaid that at eight o'clock last nfcrht a carrier was loading furniture into his van, parked at right angles on the side of Great Xorth Road, when the car driven by Trainor crashed into the van. The police were sent for, and a constable, finding Trainor in a state of intoxication, took him to the police station, where he was examined by a doctor. The doctor, ii| hie certificate, eaid that although Trainor's condition was not one of advanced intoxication, he had had sufficient alcohol to affect hie judgment when faced with a sudden emergency. "He would probably have driven a car satisfactorily provided he had the road to himself," concluded the statement on the medical certificate. Mr. Walker: The doctor's humour! He might have added the width of the road. In April, 1930, added Mr. Pender, the accused had been fined £20 for a similar offence. On that occasion his driving license was cancelled for two years. At present he had no license to drive. "The New Lynn police say Trainor is a decent, hard-working man," said Mr. Noble. "I don't think the doctor meant to be humorous. What he probably meant wae that Trainor would have been all right if the van had not been at right angles in Great North Road. There was another car coming towards Trainor, and one following him. He had to swing out to avoid these cars, and he collided with the van. I'm sure that if the van had not been where it was he would have got through all right. Trainor has seven children, and the family is still in proceee of being increased. Thi* is not a bad case of its kind."

"Knew Consequence!." Mr. Walker: The fact that two years ago he was twice convicted for a breach of his prohibition order shows that he cannot resist drink. There k provision in the Amendment Act of last vear to cancel a license for three years for the second offence. After that the Court may decide when the applicant might be 'granted a renewal of hie driving license. In this case I cannot see my way to reduce the penalty of imprisonment to one of a fine. This man has shown he is quite irresponsible and drives a car after he has taken liquor. He has once previously been convicted for a similar offence, and he knew what the consequences would be." Trainor wae sentenced to ten days' imprisonment and was disqualified from holding a license for three years, or until application is made and the disqualification removed.