MAGISTRATE’S COURT Drivers Lose Licences For Traffic Offences

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27591, 23 February 1955, Page 10

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Drivers Lose Licences For Traffic Offences

Three motorists were deprived of their drivers’ licences for varying periods by Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday when they were convicted of breaches of the traffic regulations. Harry John Brownie, aged 21, a shepherd (Mr B. G. Dingwall), who pleaded guilty to driving at a speed which might have been dangerous, was fined £lO. His driver’s licence was cancelled and he was disqualified from obtaining another for six months. Chief Patrol Officer P. Lunn, of the Christchurch City Council traffic department, said that Traffic Officer Hammett checked Brownie’s speed on Pages road at 7.25 p.m. on December 5 at 75 to 80 miles an hour. Brownie was riding a motor-cycle and had a girl pillion passenger who kept looking round to see bow far away the traffic officer was. When Brownie was stopped, he said his speed was no more than 40 miles an hour and denied that he had been driving at a dangerous speed. His pillion passenger said she thought the speed was 60 miles an hour. Brownie had one- previous conviction for a traffic offence. This was the fifth case in the last two or three months of high speed in the city area. Mr Dingwall said that Brownie had speeded up his motor-cycle in short bursts to try to clear an oiled spark plug. He had not endangered anyone. He used his motor-cycle to travel to work and if the Court cancelled his licence it might restrict it to the motor-cycle for Brownie could have the use of a car. He did not know he was being followed by a traffic officer and was not trying to evade him. The Magistrate said that this speeding in the city area had to be stopped. Such drivers were better off the road. Frederick Feris, hotel licensee, of Duntroon, for whom Mr J. B. Weir appeared and entered a plea of guilty, was fined £5 for driving in a dangerous manner on the Main South road at Burnham on November 9. His driver’s licence was suspended for 28 days. Traffic Officer A. J. Archer, of the Transport Department, said that Ferris crossed the intersection at Burnham at 60 miles an hour and he checked his speed at up to 70 miles an hour. It was trotting cup day and Ferris was cutting ift and out of race traffic. Mr Weir said that Ferris had a defence to the charge but he was unable to come tn Court because of staff shortage. He contended that he had not exceeded 50 miles an hour. He had to speed up on one occasion because, when he was passing a car. this other car increased its speed and a lorry was coming in the opposite direction. He denied being chased for six miles. If that had been so he would have had to travel on his wrong side of the road for that distance, an impossibility on such a day. James Duncan Austin was fined £8 for driving without due care and attention and his driver’s licence was suspended for 28 days. He was fined £3 for failing to stop at a compulsory stop sign. Evidence was given that on December 18 Austin drove out of Springs road on to the Main South highway at Sockburn without stopping at the compulsory stop sign and ran into a car travelling south on the main highway. It was his second conviction for driving without due care, the Magistrate said. OTHER TRAFFIC OFFENCES The following persons were prosecuted by the traffic department of the

Christchurch City Council for breaches of the traffic regulations and penalties were imposed as stated:--Exceeding the speed limit—William Alston Blaxham, £2; Allen Selby Foord, £3 (no warrant of fitness, 10s); William Harold Leaboume, £2; lan Stirling Miller, £2; Geoffrey John Owen, £3; James Patrick Owens, £2; Ronald Douglas Pengelly, £2; pavid Rhodes, £3; David Bartrum Robinson, £3; Stanley Rule, £2; Edward Everett

Parking over the time limit—Geoffrey Arthur Bell, £1; Bernard Lewis Blackwell, £2; Norman Lockwood, 10s; George Mole, £2; James Michael Murphy, £2; Stanley Llewellyn Rogers, £2; Cyril James Ryan, £2. Failing to give way—Benjamin Carpenter, £2; Peter Charles Coe, £5. Failing to stop at compulsory stop sign—Sidney Edward Clothier, £5. No warrant of fitness —Patrick James Cutler, 10s; Charles Henry Debenham, £1; Clifford Sidney Harris, 10s; Donald Havern, £1; Bernard Henry Scott, 10s; Kevin Sexton, 10s (not displaying front number plate, 10s; using unlicensed motor-vehicle, £1).

Parting with possession of driver’s licence—Thomas Michael Dwyer, £l. Riding unlighted bicycle at night— May Fleming, £1 (no rear red light, costs only); Jack William Desmond Pearson, £1 (no rear red light, costs only); Margaret Yeatman, £1 (no rear red light, costs only). Parked in prohibited area—Margaret Adine Francis, £2; Warren Victor Jacobs, £1; Norah Simpson, £2 10s. Overtaking on an intersection —lan Arthur Frater, £l. No driver’s licence—John William Garrod, £1 (failing to stop at compulsory sign, £2); Bryony Macmillan, £1; Charles Phillip Tait, £1 (supplying false information, £3; no warrant of fitness, 10s). Stopped in no stopping area—Eva Gertrude Woodyatt, 10s. Failing to dip lights—Gordon Robert George Wall, £2. Parked at an angle—Trevor Thomas, 10s. Using a motor-vehicle without due care and attention —John Roy Simpson, £2. Cycling against automatic lights— Gilbert Thomas Sprott, £l. Hirer of motor-vehicle permitting other person to drive—Peter Ronald Garrod, £2. Double parking—Reginald Jones, 10s. Failing to produce driver’s licence— Colin Hugh Follett, costs only (failing to produce warrant of fitness, costs only)* PROHIBITED IMMIGRANT Mieczyslaw Antizak, aged 19, who appeared further on charges of enterting New Zealand while he was a prohibited immigrant and being absent without leave from the overseas ship Titanbank at Dunedin on August 22, 1953, was admitted to probation subject to the Shipping and Seamen’s Act and to be deported when required. He is to report to the police once a week and to reside at such an address, only in the Christchurch and Lyttelton areas, as the Probation Officer requires. INDECENT ASSAULT A young man, whose name was ordered not to be published in the meantime and who was represented by Mr J. E. Millar, pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting another male. He was remanded on bail to February 28 for sentence pending a medical report and a report by the Probation Officer.