Magistrate’s Court Disqualified After Using Square As ‘Race-Track’

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30829, 14 August 1965, Page 21

Magistrate’s Court Disqualified After Using Square As ‘Race-Track’

“Apparently you are one of these people who find an attraction in using Cathedral square as a race-track,” said Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M.. when Owen John Price, aged 17, a telegraphist, appeared before him in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Price pleaded guilty to a charge of driving carelessly in Cathedral square on the evening of July 10. He was fined £8 and disqualified from driving for three months. Sergeant P. J. Alty said that Price made a circuit of the Square, and as he was turning to travel past the front of the Cathedral his car slid i sideways and almost hit the I kerb. He went round again, and when turning this time the car nearly rolled over. Three other youths were passengers. There were several racetracks around Christchurch which Price could use lawfully, the Magistrate told him. “If you choose to use Cathedral square as a racetrack you will walk for a few months.” After that time, if he persisted in the offence, he would be put off the road long enough for his interest in racing to decrease decidedly, the Magistrate said. FINED £2O George Albert Stewart, aged 28, a carpenter, was fined £8 for using an unlicensed vehicle in Ferry road on June 13. He was fined £6 for giving false information, and a similar amount for using an unregistered vehicle. After they were involved in a minor accident, Stewart and another motorist exchanged names and addresses, Sergeant Alty said. Next day the other driver found the Information Stewart had given him was false.

Questioned by the police, Stewart said he gave false particulars because his car was not registered. He admitted he had found a number-plate and put in on his car to avoid the cost of registration. FAILED TO GIVE WAY Charged with falling to give way to the right at the Intersection of Cambridge terrace and Hereford street on May 27. Walter Dingwall Stewart, aged 39, a supervisor (Mr G. C. P. Beadel), pleaded not guilty. He was convicted and fined £5. George Frederick Clarke Hudson, a drainage board employee (Mr P. G. Hill), pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to give way when turning at the intersection of Selwyn and Coronation streets on May 17. He was convicted and fined £l. CHARGE DISMISSED A charge against Thomas James Arthur, aged 19, a signwriter (Mr A. Hearn), of failing to give way to the right at the intersection of Selwyn street and Bletsoe avenue on June 23 was dismissed. Arthur pleaded not guilty. On a charge of not having a warrant of fitness, to which he pleaded guilty, he was convicted and fined £2. A charge of failing to give way to the right at the intersection of Manchester street and Tuam street on March 6, against Raymond Leslie Waters, aged 20, a nurseryman (Mr R. L. Kerr), was dismissed. He pleaded not guilty. OTHER TRAFFIC CASES In other traffic cases brought by the police, convictions were entered and penalties imposed as follows: Careless use: David Henrv Dudley Diedrichs, £5; William George Kyle, £8; Roderick Ernest Gillies, £5; William Francis Morgan, £6; Edward Cillekens, £5, ordered to attend course of traffic lectures: Leon Spencer Peters, £6; Sam Paniora. £lO. Failed to yield right of way: Albert William Walter, £6: David John Hedges, £8: Robert James Manley, £8: Allan Pearce Ramsay, £5; Barry Raymond Finn, £8; Graham Norman Streetley, £6; Raynor Francis Hooper, £B, ordered to attend course of traffic lectures; Bruce Reginald Myers, £4; Ashley Graeme Allan Oldman, £6; Edward Chadwick Wilson, £B. Failed to give way to pedestrian on crossing: Lawrence Gordon McFadden, £8: Colin Edward Cunningham, £lO. Failed to give way when turning: Bruce William Meikle, £4. Failed to stop at compulsory stop: Michael James Browne, £5, ordered to attend course of traffic lectures. No driver's licence: Maxwell Graham Butcher, £5 (overloaded car, £6). No warrant of finess: Alexander Miller, £3. REMANDED John Denver Francis Dick, aged 23, a sawmill hand, was remanded in custody to appear In the Upper Hutt Court on August 27 on a charge of theft of a transistor radio valued at £l6 at Auckland on May Patrick Dennis Sumner, aged 21, and David John Feary, aged 21, were remanded in custody to August 19 on a joint charge of breaking and entering the premises of Fish Processing, Ltd., Moorhouse avenue, on August 12. (Before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M.) CHARGE REDUCED A joint charge of driving at a speed which might have been dangerous in Walnoni road on June 18, against Peter John Luxton, aged 20, and Ronald Percy Quartly, aged 26, both fishermen, was reduced to one of exceeding 30 miles an hour. They were convicted and fined £lO each. They pleaded not guilty to the original charge and guilty to the amended charge. Mr J. H. Gebbie appeared for both defendants. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) CARELESS DRIVING John Leslie Arthur, aged 15, a school pupil, was convicted and fined £1 10s and disqualified from driving for one year on a charge of careless driving on April 16. He was convicted and fined £1 10s on a charge of having no driver’s licence on the same date. He pleaded guilty.