Employer Gaoled For Aiding Offence

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32360, 28 July 1970, Page 28

Employer Gaoled For Aiding Offence

(New Zealand Frees Association)

INVERCARGILL, July 27. The Te Anau branch manager of a Northern Southland transport firm was today gaoled for 14 days by Mr B. O. Nicholson, S.M., in the Lumsden Magistrate’s Court for aiding a disqualified driver to drive.

He is Graham McGregor Brown, aged 31, who pleaded guilty. Brown was also dis-

qualified from driving for 12 months. Appearing with Brown was Barry Litchfield, aged 22, a labourer, who pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified at Te Anau on June 8. Litchfield was goaled for 28 days and had his period of disqualification extended by 12 months. Mr Nicholson was told that Litchfield drove a front-end loader on the public highway on the instructions of Brown. No-one else was available to drive the loader back to the company’s yard, and Litchfield was asked to do so. “You were obliged to refuse to do this,” the Magistrate told Litchfield. The Magistrate asked Brown if he would have dismissed Litchfield if he had refused to drive the loader. “No, I don’t think so,” said Brown. The Magistrate fold'Brown that a lot of the responsibility rested on him-. “You direct ted this man to disobey the Court order,” said the Magistrate.