PARKING CHARGE DISMISSED

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26986, 11 March 1953, Page 10

PARKING CHARGE DISMISSED

PROSECUTION OF BUS DRIVER

“I am afraid I don’t quite understand why this prosecution was brought—there must be dozens of cases during the day when traffic officers could catch minor offenders, but they use their judgment as a rule,” said Mr Rex C Abernethy. S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when he dismissed a charge against Allan James Williamson, a Transport Board driver (Mr R. A. Young), of failing to park a bus as close as practicable to the kerb. The charge was brought by the traffic department of the Christchurch City Council. “A man may be techmlMUy in the wrong, but it is not expecaac that offenders should be brought before the Court when they have none their best to keep within the law. It is unfortunate that the traffic officer and the bus driver both lost their tempers and had words. Words lead to other things and they led in this case to a prosecution. I think,” said the Magistrate. “According to the defendant, the officer said to him ‘lf you don’t mind your words I’ll give you a ticket.’ The officer has denied saying this, but I am satisfied that something of the sort was said. On the evidence I don’t think the defendant did any less than his best to get his bus as close as possible to the kerb,” said the Magistrate. Traffic Officer A. Laing said the front of the bus was five feet out from the kerb and the rear was six feet out. The defendant said that on December 30 last year he parked a aiesel bus on the new bus stop in Gloucester street on the north side just east of Colombo street. It was a relief bus, so he had to lock it and leave it while he reported to the inspectors’ office in Cathedral square. There was a car parked completely on the rear part of the stop, and he did not have enough room to get the bus close to the kerb. When he left the bus he knew it was parked incorrectly, but he considered he had done his best in tMe circumstances. When he returned to the bus he found a traffic officer walking round the bus and he asked him if he wanted to speak to him. Aftqr an exchange of words the officer gave him a traffic offence notice and he drove off.