Magistrate’s Court Driver Convicted After Taking Drug And Alcohol

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28823, 18 February 1959, Page 9

Magistrate’s Court Driver Convicted After Taking Drug And Alcohol

"This case should serve as a warning to those undergoing nodical treatment of this nature tjjit they must not take any form alcohol, or, if they do, they ' 4fewld not drive,” said Mr N. M. jajrd, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Cdurt yesterday when he fined gita Doris Morgan, aged 42, married (Mr J. G. Leggat), £2O on a charge of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs on February 2. He also cancelled her driving licence for three years. She pleaded guilty to the charge. Sergeant E. S. Tuck said a man was driving along Tuam street looking for a place to turn his vehicle about 6JO p.m. on February 2, and saw the defendant’s ear coming towards him, between 200 and 300 yards away. The front wheels of his car had just reached the footpath into an alleyway in tfii act of turning when the car was struck by the defendant’s vehicle. ■Witnesses at the scene said the defendant’s car was travelling fairly fast before the accident, said Sergeant Tuck. Her speech at ■ the time was slurred, and when examined by Dr. F. L. Scott she .was certified as unfit to drive • due to taking either drink or drugs.

The defendant had admitted at the scene of the accident having ' had ‘‘a couple of beers” during • tht afternoon, said Sergeant

I Mr Leggat said the defendant’s health had been undermined by a. toxic thyroid condition during the last few years. Drugs which ''had Men prescribed for her for this conditon, together with the * small amount of liquor, had been ’ sufficient to make her unfit to drive. Dr. A. M. Goldstein gave evidJ ence of having treated the deA fendant for a thyroid condition since November, 1956. Early last year she showed signs of thyroid . deficiency which necessitated the ,s administering of a drug con--1 tinuously. She had always had ’ a high anxiety state, and since November had been given tran- " quillising drugs in addition to . the thyroid tablets. * He had advised her to take the ■ drugs on the day the accident oecurred, said the witness. When he examined her after the acci- ; dent he considered her unfit to .4 drive. He considered that this * was due to the combination of the * small amount of liquor she had * taken .following the dose of drugs J which had been administered. *- (“This is an unfortunate case _• where the defendant did not realise that the effect of taking a ;,. Small amount of drink might have * on her fitness to drive after tak- ' ing a small dose of drugs;” said . the Magistrate in imposing sen- ? fence. When cancelling her . licence, he warned the defendant - that in her own interests she

should refrain from driving until £'alth had ter remanded On charges of breaking and entering a place of public worship—the Nelson Anglican Cathedral—on February 16, and con«ei!ing a mot °r-car valued at £6O), the property of Harold Leon Harley, at Nelson on February 15, Colin Burt, aged 21, a carpenter, was remanded to February 23 Sergeant Tuck, who applied for the remand, said further inquiries were being made by the police. TRAFFIC PROSECUTIONS In prosecutions brought by the Christchurch City Council traffic department fines were imposed as follows: Exceeding 30 miles an hour: David Eric Lord. £7 10s; Willie Kenneth Brian Bakes, £3; James Anderson, £2; Thomas Gerald Calder, £3; Murray Free, £6Roderick Percy McKay, £2 (no warrant of fitness, £2); Keith Alfred Nuff, £3; John Richard Sheldon, £3 (no warrant of fitness, £1; no-driver’s licence, £2l- - van Gaalen £5 (no safety helmet, £2l; Robert William York, £2 (no safety helmet, £2). No warrant of fitness: Roderick lan Barry, £1 (permitting registration plate to become not easily distinguishable, £1; failing to produce driver’s licence, £3); Ronald William Hill, £1 (unregistered trailer, £2); Donaldson Miller, two charges, £1 (failing to produce driver’s licence, £3; no auxiliary safety coupling for trailer, £1). Failing to give way to the right: Lionel Gordon Malcolm, £3; Graham John Robinson, £5. Failing to give way at school patrol crossing: Ethne Olive Green, £2 (no warrant of fitness, costs only>.

Using motor vehicle without reasonable consideration: Raymond John Hurrell, £7 10s and driver’s licence suspended for one month.

Permitting unlicensed vehicle to be used: Colin Clifford Hurrell, £5 (affixing unauthorised licence to vehicle, £5). Parked in time expired metered space: Larry John Taylor, £l.

Double parked: Allan William Brand, £2; Philip Edward Henrick, £2.

Parked within 20 feet of pedestrian crossing: Daniel Callanan, £2. Operating vehicle in such condition as liable to cause injury: Lewis Percy Hopkins, £2. Driving without due care anti attention: Stewart Arthur Emmett, £3.

CIVIL CASES (Before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M.) JUDGMENT SUMMONSES » The following orders were made on judgment summonses: Clarence Morgan Davies to pay

Commissioner of Inland Revenue, £2lO 6s sd, in default three months’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £lB a month is paid; G. Spriggs to pay New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Ltd., £7 6s 6d, in default eight days’ imprisonment; J. M. Goodwin to pay New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Ltd., £ll ss, in default 12 days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £1 a week is paid; Ivan Draganoff to pay V. Tzvetkoff £9, in default 10' days’ imprisonment; D. A. Harper to pay Christchurch Saw Service £49 15s, in default 50 days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £1 a week is paid; F. A. Griffin to pay Maling and Company, Ltd. £l6 13s, in default 18 imprisonment, warrant suspended on payment of £1 a week; R. H. Henley to pay Maling«and Company, Ltd., £1 Bs, in default two days’ imprisonment; R. Postlethwaite to pay C. M. Johnson £3 3s, in default three days* imprisonment; David A. Macßae to pay A. Clifford £lO4, in default three months’ imprisonment, warrant to be suspended while £2 a week is paid; Mervyn Webb to pay D. P. Unwin £29 ss, in default 30 days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £2 a week is paid; A. Macknell to pay Waltham Butchery £9 16s 3d, in default 10 days’ warrant suspended while £1 a week is paid; K. J. Butler to pay Gordon and Gotch, Ltd., £3O, in default 30 days’ imprisonment, warrant suspended while £1 10s a week is paid; A. Marriott to pay New Zealand Newspapers, Ltd., £3 2s, in default three days’ imprisonment.