MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23916, 7 April 1943, Page 5

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

TUESDAY (Before Mr E. C. Levvey. S.M.) TRAFFIC REGULATIONS For having no warrant of fitness tor their motor-cars, drivers were dealt with as fellows:— Aingcr Airspray, Ltd., fined ins; Sydney George Buxton, ss; Lester H Clarke. 20s; Alfred Leeming, ss; Horace w’. Ogicr and George Max Ritchie, ordered ? a speed limit of 30 miles an hour, George Frederick Anson was fined 20s, and Augustine J. O Connor t-i. Ronald McAlister was fined £2 for exceeding the speed limit, and 10s for not having a driver’s licence. ■ For riding a cycle at night without a light. Noel Milton Willcox was fined 10s USE OF RENTAL CARS Alexander John Archibald, a motorocalcr, of Oxford terrace, was represented by Mr C. S. Thomas, on eight charges of using motor-vehicles contrary to tlie terms of his rental car licence under the Transport Licensing Act, of 1931. Mr J. C. C. Edwards represented the Transport Department. It was stated that defendant was not entitled to rent more than five cars, but he had rented three more than allowed. Mr Thomas said the charges could be placed in three categories: (1) for hiring out cars that did not carry an insurance policy; (2) that defendant operated motcr-vehiides that did not display the warrant of fitness and (3) that he used other vehicles than those he was authorised to use. Mr Thomas said he would admit the bread! so far as the insurance was concerned. The cars were not insured when they were sent out, but before they had returned from the trip on the day the offence was committed the insurance had been completed. He said that defendant had five cars that were let for set periods, but those who rented them were not always responsible persons, and some of them were irresponsible. Cars were let for a certain period and were not returned on time. There was a big demand for rental cars and these were often booked a week ahead. During one weekend Archibald had departed from his usual custom of renting only the five cars, and others were sent out in urgent cases when the cars had not returned.

Tlie Magistrate said the charges had not been laid correctly. There was the simple process of charging defendant with unlawfully using certain cars as rental cars Had this been done there would have been no complications. On the charge of driving without a licence or insurance policy defendant was fined £2, and on the others was ordered t„ pay costs.