A DRUNKEN DRIVER

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 256, 13 July 1926, Page 4

A DRUNKEN DRIVER

MUFFLED VOICE ACCOUNTED FOR NOVEL DEFENCE RAISED Palmerston North, 1 July 12. "You say that you thought defendant was druuk because his speech was muffled; Could that not have been due to tho fact that ho had no teeth?” asked counsel in the Magistrate’s Court this morning, to tho accompaniment of smiles. Witness, another solicitor, admitted that ft may have been so. Other evidence was heurd from different witnesses as to whether defendant had been drunk, it ’being stated that he was unsteady on his feet. Counsel asked one witness if this unsteadiness was not a limp, and received a reply that “it was more like a roll.” Tho case was uno where a nnddle-aged man named David Kennedy, farm manager, of Rangiotu, was charged with, on May 22, at Awapuni, being drunk while in charge of a motor-car. Messrs. .W. F. Durward and C. F. Spooner, J.P. s. pro sided. Defendant, who was represented by Mr. Laurenson. pleaded not guilty. Senior-Sergeaut O'Grady said, that on the date mentioned a collision took place on the Awapuni bridge Betwion defendant’s car and another vehicle. It was alleged that at tho time defendant was not in a propw condition tr, ho in charge of a car. and had he not been affected by liquor the collision would not have occurred, as there was ample room cn the bridge for the two cars to pass. Constable Thom read a statement made by defendant, in which the latter admitted that on the day of the accident he had hud a few drinks. In evidence, defendant said lie had four or five drinks that afternoon. Just beore reaching the Awapuni bridge a tire blew out on witness's car. which caused the accident. The steering gear was also faulty. Witnesses was suffering from a bad ankle, which caused him to limp. Cross-examined, witness, denied that because of his condition his wife had jpfused to go home with him that afternoon. Herbert Thomas Avery, garage proprietor, gave evidence to the defects in defendant’s car. Witness had had a drink with defendant, who was not drunk at the time. The Bench entered a conviction, and fined defendant £5. with costs £5 Is. Id.