CHARGE DISMISSED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 85, 11 April 1945, Page 6

CHARGE DISMISSED

INTOXICATION NOT PROVED

Stating that he was not satisfied that there was sufficient proof of intoxication, Mr. J. Morling, S.M., yesterday dismissed a charge of being intoxicated in charge of a motor car against Arnold Gordon Pook, aged 19 (Mr. Dickson). It was stated that a car driven by Pook, who pleaded not guilty, struck an Air Force truck on the Great North Road at Henderson about 11.15 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. A package of beer in a haversack with accused's name on it was found in-the grass by the side of the road, one of the bottles apparently ■ having been drunk from onlv a short time before. Dr. N. M. Cameron, Henderson, said he wrote an admission note to the Auckland Hospital for accused after examining him on the scene of the accident. He had been informed by the hospital authorities that in a blood test, taken at 1 a.m., the percentage of alcohol was .08. This was a borderline case, with less than .1 per cent alcohol about two hours after the accident. Dr. R. T. Martin, of the Air Force, said he also examined accused and considered he had taken sufficient liquor to impair his judgment, though he was not drunk. Witness had left the hospital at 1.30 a.m., and no attempt had been made at that time to take a test. The house surgeon who took the test had never performed the test before and he thought too much reliance should not be placed on it. It was difficult in accused's case to tell what effect had come from alcohol and what from shock.