LICENSE SUSPENDED

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 166, 10 April 1926, Page 8

LICENSE SUSPENDED

ANOTHER INTOXICATED DRIVER Br TEtEGßAru.— Press Association. Auckland, April 9. “Yesterday and also the day before fines of £l6 were imposed on intoxicated motorists; but I think that fines are not effective,” observed Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when Andrew Francis Donoghue, aged 30, was charged with being in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motor-car last night. Accused pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Edwards said that Donoghue, at about 9 p.m., while driving his car, had to swerve in order to miss colliding with a taxi. Later on he nearly collided with a street convenience'and drove on to the kerbing of the footpath. Constable McKenzie had to call on accused three times before he stopped his car. An empty whisky bottle was afterwards found in the car.

Mr. H. Moody, who appeared for accused, said that although a doctor certified that Donoghue was not drunk, there was no doubt that he had had some liquor. However, it was not alleged that Donoghue had travelled at nnvthing but a slow speed. Accused had to make a sharp turn, and probnbly his judgment was not quite correct.

In addition to inflicting a fine of £l5 and costs, Mr. Hunt suspended Donoghue’s driving license for six months.