HEARSE DRIVER FINED

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27669, 27 May 1955, Page 12

HEARSE DRIVER FINED

INSPECTOR’S SIGNAL IGNORED (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 26. The driver of a hearse, Walton Max Tongue, was charged before Mr F. McCarthy, S.M., today with failing to comply with a traffic officer’s directions. Tongue did not appear, but entered a plea of guilty through his counsel. Fining him £l. with costs, the Magistrate said: “This was a most unfortunate happening, which marred a very sad and solemn occasion for somebody.” Traffic Sergeant E. J. Stevens said that he was directing a line of cars when a funeral approached at a speed of about 15 miles an hour. Tongue blew several loud blasts on his horn, ignored the officer’s stop signal, and drove straight through the line of traffic.

As he drove past, Tongue leaned out of the window of the hearse and shouted at the officer that he had no business to obstruct a funeral. Mr W. M. Smith, for the defendant, said that his client had understood that funerals had the right of way at all times. Tongue thought that the traffic officers should have let the funeral pass “out of good manners.” The Magistrate said he had no doubt that Tongue apparently considered he had the right of way—although such was definitely not the case.