Magistrate’s Court Youth Rode Motor-Cycle At Speeds Up To 75 m.p.h.

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28747, 19 November 1958, Page 11

Magistrate’s Court Youth Rode Motor-Cycle At Speeds Up To 75 m.p.h.

A motor-cyclist who was travelling at speeds up to 75 miles an hour through the streets of the city was continually looking around to sec whether he had eluded the traffic officer who was chasing him in a patrol car. Chief Patrol Officer J. Brown told Mr N. M. Izard, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The motor-cyclist. Errol Bertram Price, aged 18. was lined Al 10 for driving at a speed which might have been dangerous, and his licence was cancelled for 12 months. He was also fined £ 1 for not displaying L plates, £2 for carrying a passenger when restricted to L plates, £2 for exceeding 30 miles an hour, and £2 for not wearing a safety helmet, and he was ordered to pay costs on a charge of operating a motorcycle liable to cause a nuisance and on a second charge of failing to wear a safety helmet. Price pleaded guilty to all charges. The fines and costs totalled £27 10s.

On November 13 a complaint was received that a motor-cycle was creating a disturbance near the Hereford and Barbadoes street intersection, said Chief Patrol Officer Brown. Traffic Officer K. D. Mackenzie went to the scene and saw a motorcycle on the side of the road. It suddenly pulled away with a terrific roar and it appeared to have no mufflers. The motorcycle, ridden by Price, travelled along a number of streets between 30 and 48 miles an hour. When Price realised that a traffic officer was following him, he turned into Hereford street and increased his speed to 75 miles an hour.

The siren of the patrol car was switched on. and Price was continually looking over his shoulder, said Chief Patrol Officer Brown. In an attempt to elude the traffic officer Price made a series of turns in various streets, and eventually the traffic officer lost sight of him.

Price was later found in Cathedral square, and admitted he had tried to get away from the traffic officer as he did not want any more traffic offence notices. Price had said he thought his speed was about 60 miles an hour.

The traffic officer had chased Price for about four miles, said Chief Patrol Officer ~ Brown Prices speed reached 75 miles an hour at times. Traffic was quite heavy, as there were a number of vehicles returning home from the show and the races. Price had “quite a list” ot convictions for traffic offences.

On September 19 Price had accelerated in front of a pedestrian on a crossing, and when he was stopped he was found to be carrying a pillion passenger when he was restricted to I. plates, said Traffic Officer A. N Warren. Price was also checked when travelling at 40 to 45 miles an hour in Papanui road when not wearing a safety helmet. A person such as Price 'vns better off the road, said Chief Patrol Officer Brown. The traffic officer had not been sorry to give up the chase for Price as it had been a hair-raising affair. Price said he did not hear the traffic officer’s siren because he had no mufflers on his motorcycle. It was a pretty poor exhibition, said the Magistrate.

FALSE INFORMATION Peter Francis Brennan, a railway employee, of Springfield, was fined £5 for supplying false information to a traffic officer. He was also fined £3 for using a motor-vehicle without reasonable consideration, and £3 for having no driver’s licence, and was ordered to pay costs on a charge of failing to produce a warrant of fitness. Brennan did not appear. Traffic Officer C. A. Baldwin said at 11.10 p.m. on June 14 he was travelling on his inotorcvcle along Shakespeare road. Approaching the intersection ot Thackeray street he had his headlight on high beam and noticed a car at the side of the road with its headlights on park. 1 he driver suddenly put his lights on full, so he dipped his light. The car pulled out from the kerb with its lights still on high beam, and they shone directly at him, Traffic Officer Baldwin said. He flicked his light up and down but there was no response from the car, which swerved onto its wrong side when turning into Thackeray street. The driver, who later proved to be Brennan, was not carrying a licence or a warrant of fitness, and gave a false name and address, said Traffic Officer Baldwin. When Brennan was eventually located he admitted giving the name and address of a man with whom he used to board. He claimed he had done it on the spur of the moment and that it would not happen again. The traffic department had gone to considerable trouble to track Brennan and had had to enlist the assistance of the Transport Department in Blenheim to find the owner of the car Brennan had been driving, said Chief Pattrol Officer J. Brown. Brennan had convictions for traffic offences. 24 CONVICTIONS A youth of 18. who had been convicted of 19 traffic offences this vear, was convicted of another Ifive yesterday.

Robert Henry George Sutherland. who did not appear, was fined £2 on each of two charges of carrying a pillion passenger while restricted to L plates: £3 for exceeding 30 miles an hour: £1 for carrying a pillion passenger who was not wearing a safety helmet when -lie motorcycle was exceeding 30 miles an hour; and £2 for failing to produce a warrant ot fitness. ' Chief Traffic Officer J. Brown said that the defendant was placed | on probation tor 18 months on October 17. one of the conditions I being that he does not own or drive a motor-vehicle. Sutherland’s mother was wor- | ried bv his constant convictions and could not understand him. He had had 19 convictions this year, he said. "He is a bit of a problem, this boy. Ho has got £9 worth of Court costs alone.’’ said the Magistrate. "He will continue Io carry pillion passengers, and with the L plates that is the reason he gets stopped so much,” Traffic Officer Brown said. “TANTAMOUNT TO FRAUD’’ The offence of using an unauthorised licence label on a vehicle was tantamount to fraud, said the Magistrate when fining Kevin Raymond Batchelor, aged 20. a motor engineer. £5. Batchelor, who did not appear, was also fined £5 for using an

I unlicenced motor-vehicle, and £2l for parking in a prohibited area.. Traffic Officer K. Porter said he checked a car parked in a prohibited area in Club lane, off Oxford terrace, on September 9. The licence label on the vehicle had been issued for a trailer. Batchelor admitted the offences in a statement, and. said the licence label had been taken from a trailer owned by his father. It was a very hard offence to detect, said Chief Patrol Officeri J. Brown. The licence labelsl issued at present did not indicate the type of vehicle, for which they were issued. It was regarded as a serious offence, as there was no third-party insurance on the vehicle. Batchelor had a number of convictions for traffic offences.

“PLAYING CHICKEN” To cheers from a crowd gathered on the God ley plot, John Richard Vivian, aged 18, walked across towards the Government Life Office building away from the pedestrian crossing, in front of oncoming traffic, and “did what amounted to little more than playing chicken.” Traffic Officer D. C. Baker told the Magistrate. Vivian, who did not appear, was charged with failing to use a pedestrian crossing which was available within 60 feet. “He will have to pay for entertaining his friends,” the Magistrate said, imposing a fine of £3. CHARGES DISMISSED

A charge of parking in a timeexpired meter space, against George Robert Forbes, was dismissed. Forbes said his car had run out of petrol. He had informed the officer who wrote out (he ticket, and had not expected a summons. A charge of using a motorvehicle without due care and attention, against Darcy Armistrate Uren (Mr S. H. Wood), was dismissed. The charge arose from a collision between Urcn’s car and another car in Hereford street on September 15. OTHER TRAFFIC CHARGES In other prosecutions brought by the Christchurch City Council the following persons were fined and ordered to pay 30s costs on each charge:— Exceeding 30 miles an hour: Graeme Robert Henderson, £3; Rodney Thomas Hurndell, £2 'not displaying L plates. £1); Alastair Kenneth Gibbons, £4; James Robert Johnston, £3: Ix'onard David Rountree, £3; John Graham Veitch. £3: James Kerr Adamson, £3: Margaret Steele Austad, £3; Vincent Harold Cant. £3, and licence suspended one month; Frank Clarke, £4; Peter John Luxton. £3 (no safety helmet, £2); Alastair William John Neville. £5. and licence suspended for three months: Clarence Higham Pepper, £2; William George Perriton, £4; Reginald Henry Redden. £3 (not wearing safety helmet, £2: Francis Terrance Rooks, £4; Robert Julian Scott. £2: John Wynne-Lewis, £3: Desmond Robert Deraine, £2 (failing to give way to pedestrian on pedestrian crossing, £3». Carrying more than two persons on motor-cycle without sidefar: Jojsef Brandl. £3 (exceeding 30 miles an hour, £4, not wearing safety helmet, £2, exceeding 30 miles an hour when carrying passenger not wearing safety helmet. £2); Robin John Whiteford Sanders. £3. Parking offences: Trevor John Evans. £1; Les Francis Flood, £1; Kevin Paul Harrison, £2; Irene Charlotte Johnstone. £3; Robert Hamilton Wilson, £3: John Lewis Anderson. £3; Alexander Caldwell, £2: Ravinond Edwin Chappell. £1: Donald Arthur MeLintock, £3; Ross Donald Ritchie. £1; Cyril James Ryan. £2 (no warrant of fitness, £3»; Thomas Cuthbert Scott. £1; Keith Thornton Sugden. £4; Neville McDonald Vincent. £5; Trevor Cyril Lionel Watson. £1; Mervyn Francis Woodham. £2.

No red rear light on cycle: Ross Ravmond' Crawford. £1; Errol Leslie McComhie, £1 (no front light. £!•; Keith Anthony McGowan. £1 <no front light, £1); Colin David McCarthy, £l. Using unlicensed motor-vehicle: Kevin Raymond Batchelor, £5 (using unauthorised licence label. £5. parked in prohibited area.

Using motor-vehicle without reasonable consideration for other road users: Riga Blair, £3; Robert Leslie Browning, £3. Failing to stop at compulsory stop sign: Maxwell John Malloch. £3; Robert Bell Ramsay, £3 tno warrant of fitness, £1). Carrying pillion passenger when restricted to L plates: Alan Keith Perkins. £2: Larny Eric Williams, £2 (failing to display L-plates. £1).

Failing to give way to pedestrians on crossing: John Steven Bowater. £2; Roger Maxwell Minson, £2. No warrant of fitness: Francis Thomas Dunn, £2; Phoebe Irene Coote, 10s (failing to give way to the right, £2). Not displaying current licence label: John Dudley Hampton, £2; Veritv Wmlworth. £2. Failing to stop for traffic officer's signal: Andrew Norman Fraser. £5. Failing to give way: Margaret June Bate, £2; Cyril McCaskey Using unlicensed trailer: Joseph John Curtain. £2 (no warrant of fitness, £D. I Using motor-vehicle without current heavy traffic licence: Ernest Bertram Diehl, £3. Exceeding 20 miles an hour on power-cvcle: William George Paget. £l. Failing to produce driver’s licence: George Maurice, £2. Failing to give information: Trevor Corbishley, £3. AFTER HOURS | Three seamen from an overseas ship, James McLean, James Thompson, and Jimmy Dacey, j were convicted and lined £3 each I for being on the licensed promises of the British Hotel on Sunday. November 16. They pleaded guilty. CIVIL CASES (Before Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M.) JUDGMENT- SUMMONSES The following orders were made on judgment summonses:— F. C. Mcikle to pay G. J. Good £6, in default seven days’<>imprisonment, warrant suspended while £2 a week is paid; P. Thomas to paj’ W. J. Scotts Motors, Ltd., £3 0s 6d, in default

four days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while 10s a week is paid; Cornelius Joseph Fox to pay the Commissioner of Inland Revenue £8 8s fid. in default nine days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £1 a week is paid; F. D. McCann to pay .L. Steenhart £7 9s, in default nine days’ imprisonment: Dennis McGonagle Blake to pay the Commissioner of Inland Revenue £3B 0s 4d, in default 40 days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £1 a week is paid; M. Andrews to pay E. C. | Morrin £8 17s 6d. in default 10 j days* imprisonment; H. W. Hunt' to pay R. A. Young. H. W. Hun- • ter and O. J. Cooke £5 18s. in j default seven days’ imprisonment;: A. J. Truscott to pay R. A. Young. H. W. Hunter, and (). J. Cooke £4 2s 6<l. in default five days’ im-| prisonment: L. E. Howard to pay R. A. Young. 11. W. Hunter, and) O. J. Cooke £l6 6s 9d. in default! 17 days' imprisonment, warrant i suspended while £1 a week is paid; F. Eiffe to pay 11. I. Espie £4l 12s. in default 43 days' imprisonment; M. Walker to pay S. V. Turnbull £l5 Is 2d. in default 16 days’ imprisonment; W. Conners to pay S. V. Turnbull £l3 14s. in default 15 days’ imprisonment: 11. Gameson to pay C. R. McCreath £l2 Is, in def. ult 14 days’ imprisonment; Steav Green to pav the Commissioner of Inland Revenue £47 19s. in default: 50 days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £4 a week is paid: D. Myles to pay Sargent, j Connal. Holmes, and Godfrey £8 9s. in default nine days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £1 a week is paid: R. C. Rockhouse to pav Burnetts Motors. Ltd. £9 12s lid, in default 11 days’ imprisonment, warrant, suspended while £2 a week is paid: N. E. Margotts to pay Hurst and Drake. Ltd.. £llB 19s. in default throe months' imprisonment, warrant suspended while £3 a week is paid: Ann Herbert to pay R. I R. A. Ramage £l3 12s. in default 15 days’ imprisonment, warrant! suspended while £1 a week is! paid: C. Davies to pav F. Nicholls.! Ltd., £22 0s lOd, in default 24! days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £2 a week is paid. (Before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M.)

DECISION RESERVED Decision on a claim by Surcfreeze Sales and Service. Ltd., for £45 from Malcolm Thomas Gordon, a carpenter, was reserved until this morning. The company, for whom Mr 11. O. Jacobsen appeared, claimed the money as payment for a refrigerator. Mr Jacobsen said that Gordon had sent his refrigerator to the company for repairs. The cabinet was sent to Wholesale Refrigerators for painting and was destroyed in a fire at that company’s premises.

The company sent another refrigerator to Gordon and said he could have it for £45. Gordon agreed to this arrangement, said Mr Jacobsen.

Mr J. B. Weir, counsel for ■ Gordon, said that the repairs tothe refrigerator destroyed in the; fire were to have cost £l6. The! new refrigerator was sent to Gordon's home before any agreement! was reached on its cost. "The refrigerator was in fact j a replacement of the damaged refrigerator and was of less value! than that one.’’ he said.

The Magistrate said that to give further consideration to the case he would reserve his decision until this morning.