Magistrate’s Court Driver Admits Never Having Held Licence

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29016, 3 October 1959, Page 7

Magistrate’s Court Driver Admits Never Having Held Licence

Appearing on four charges arising out of an accident, a 63-year-old war pensioner admitted in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday that he had never held a driver’s licence. Thomas Edwin Kyle Dawson appeared on charges of failing to stop after an accident, failing to ascertain if a person had been injured, having no driver’s licence, and having no warrant of fitness.

Sergeant E. S. Tuck said that about 6 p.m. on June 6 a motorist named Long was travelling south along the Main South road between the Selwyn rail crossing and the Dunsandel Hotel. As Long pulled out to overtake a car in front he saw an unlighted truck coming towards him. As the two vehicles passed the truck struck the side of the car and failed to stop. Later the truck was located by the police at the defendant's farm. Dawson, who conducted his own defence, said all he could say was that he had not hit anything and that the damage to his truck was caused in the bush. “I am afraid the evidence is against you,” said Mr N. M. Izard, S.M., “I think you would be well advised not to drive this truck again.” The Magistrate dismissed the charge of failing to ascertain if any person had been injured. He fined Dawson £7 10s on the charge of failing to stop, £3 for having no licence, and £1 for having no warrant of fitness. Dawson was also prohibited from taking out a driver’s licence for three months. CHARGES DISMISSED Two charges against a youth of failing to give way and failing to stop after an accident were dismissed. The youth, William George Streeter, aged 19, (Mr A. D. Holland), pleaded not guilty to both charges. A charge of driving without due care and attention against lan Gordon McLellan, an apprentice fitter and turner, aged 17, was also dismissed. McLellan (Mr R. S. D. Twyneham) pleaded not guilty. (Before Mr A. P. Blair, S.M.) ALTERED WARRANT “I will assume that you have been more stupid than criminal,” the Magistrate told Robert Henry Thorpe, aged 19. a motor mechanic, who was fined £5 for altering the expiry date on a warrant of fitness, and 10s for having no warrant. CHARGE DISMISSED After evidence had been brought that a motor-cyclist involved in a collision with a motorist could have been speeding (his speedometer was jammed at 40 miles an hour) the Magistrate dismissed, a charge of driving without due care and attention against the motorist, Brian Owen Davies, a chemist, aged 21. There was some doubt, and the defendant was entitled to the benefit of it, he said.

Davies (Mr B. J. Drake) pleaded not guilty. FAILED TO REPORT ACCIDENT A master mariner who failed to report an accident in which he had been involved was probably more familiar with the marine laws than the traffic laws, said Sergeant V. F. Townshend when Leslie Halman Davies was charged with failing to report the accident within 24 hours, and failing to give way. He was fined £4 on each charge. Police evidence was that the defendant struck a power-cyclist at the intersection of Stan'more road and Gloucester street on July 27. The power-cyclist suffered hand and back injuries and was taken to his home in the defendant’s car, but the defendant did not report to the police until a fortnight later when he made a claim with his insurance company. The Magistrate said he would assume the defendant was ignorant of the law. "MISLED ABOUT INJURIES” Dismissing a charge against Joseph Harry John Annan (Mr B. J. Drake) of failing to report to the police an accident in which a woman cyclist was injured, the Magistrate said it was likely that the defendant had been misled as to the extent of the woman’s injuries. On a further charge of driving without due care and attention the Magistrate said that although the woman cyclist had probably contributed to the accident, Annan

had failed to keep a proper lookout. Annan was fined £5 on this charge. INJURY FROM CAR DOOR For opening a car door in a manner likely to cause injury to other road users Garry Alexander Mclntyre, aged 25, a branch manager, was fined £2. Evidence was given that a cyclist struck the door of the defendant’s car and fell to the road, suffering abrasions to the face and bruising of the hands.

OTHER TRAFFIC OFFENCES Other traffic offenders prosecuted by the police were dealt with as follows:

Failing to give way: Douglas Arthur Blakie, £4; Frederick Adams, £4; William Francis Murray Bennetts, £4; Orpah Elsie Norton, £2; Robert Edward Downing, £4; Elizabeth Dougan, £4; lan James Dovey, £4; James WilliAm Emms, £4; Gordon McDonald Hanlin, £4; George Herbert Longstaff, £4, Dale Phillip Langridge, £2. Gordon William Moody, £4; Veronica Gertrude Macarting, £3 (no warrant of fitness, £1); Gregers Ortenblad, £4; Robert Samuel Stafford, £4; Edwin Holmes Ward, £4 (no warrant of fitness, £1 10s). Driving without due care and attention: Robert James Russell, £4; Richard Loversidge, £3; George Dickinson, £4; Mervyn Charles Greering, £3; Arthur Russell Johansen, £4: Keith Alfred Muff, £4; George McGregor, £4; Harold Thornton, £4 (no driver’s licence, £5), Albert Francis Lawrence, £3 (no warrant, £1 10s; no driver’s licence, £5). No driving licence: Douglas Alexander Bloomfield, £5 (no warrant of fitness, £1 10s; insufficient lights, £2); Colin Cameron, £5 (no warrant of fitness, £1 10s); Linwood Hollings, £5. Failing to keep to left: Allan James French, £4. No warrant of fitness: Brian Leslie Kirner, £1 10s; Desmond Rhodes, £l. Proceeding from stop sign when road not clear: Ernest William Legg, £2. Failing to stop at stop sign: Carrick Elliot Lewis, £3.