DISMISSED.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14883, 24 January 1914, Page 3

DISMISSED.

ALLEGED BREACH OF TRAFFIC * BY-LAWS. ,In ,tho Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, before Mr T. A. B. Bailey. S.M., lleginald Bristol was charged that, on January 10th.. at Christchurch, ho did leave a motor-cycle in a public place, to wit the corner of Colombo and Hereford streets, in consequence whereof persons wero induced to congregate in Colombo street so as to cause an obstruction. Mr Cassidy appeared for the- accused, who pleaded not guilty. Counsel said that the machine was neither a. motor-cycle nor yet an ordinary cycle in the proper sense. It was a "Wall auto-wheel, and defendant simply left it outside a barber's siiop, while ho went in to have a shave. "When ho-caino out, a. crowd had collected round the machine. Dozens of bicycles had been left there. '•'ho Magistrate: What sort of a bk.yclo is it? Counsel: It is not; a flying machine. (Laughter). It is an ordinary bicycle wuh a self-propelling wheel attached, and it is claimed to be the greatest labour-saving device yet invented for the benefit of cyclists. It is a light thing—weighs about 4011>s. To-day, it is an uncommon sight and attracts a crowd, but there will be fifty or sixty of them arriving in Christchurch very soon. j The Magistrate: I saw one ot them the other day, and wondered what it was. Counsel said that his client was rather surprised on coming from the shop to see such a crowd, which included a constable, who wanted to take his name and address. "The first motor-car on the roa<l in Christchurch," he went on to say. ''probably attracted a similar amount of interest, but I have not yet heard that the driver was prosecuted for causing an obstruction., because a crowd collected to see it. I suppose the first man who brings a flying machine here will also be prosecuted in this manner." Constable Knight stated that on the 10th inst.. at 0.33 a.m., he saw a crowd collect outside Davics and Lamb's establishment. He had twice to move the crowd on, as they greatly obstructed the traffic-. The objoct of interest was a new kind of bicycle. Sergeant Dwan corroborated this statement. The street was blocked from the tobacconist's to the tramline, ar.fl some of the- cars had to pull up or slow down. Counsel: You had the auto-wheel practically under arrest? (Laughter). Counsel: Were there not a number of other cycles there? Wasn't a Triumph motor-cycle close to tho gutter?— Yes! . Counsel: Why didn't you arrest them ? Counsel submitted that it was not the act of leaving the auto-wheel in the street which caused tho obstruction, but the fact that tho auto-wheel was, a novelty. His client had no intention, of obstructing traffic. Tim Magistrate: It's very much on the lines of the English case, where an obstruction was alleged to have been caused by a vacuum cleaner. Counsel: But. of course, that was being done purely as a matter of business. Defendant, giving evidence, corroborated hits counsel's statement. Hβ did not give the constable his name and address at first, because he had no idea that ho could have committed nn offence by leaving the auto-wheel outside the shop. Tho Magistrate said that he had no doubt that defendnnt had not tried to cause an obstruction. The mnchino was a novelty and everyone came and looked at it." but defendant could not be blamed for that. The ca.se was dismissed.