INTOXICATED MOTOR DRIVER

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 53, 26 November 1929, Page 12

INTOXICATED MOTOR DRIVER

FINED AND LICENSE CANCELLED Dominion Special Service. Auckland, November 25. A fine of £5O and the cancellation of his driver’s license for twelve months was the penalty imposed on Henry Wilson, of Mount Eden, who pleaded guilty before Mr. Levien, S.M., at the Otahuhu Magistrate’s Court to-day to being in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motorcar. In imposing the fine the Magistrate said that- he intended to increase the penalties for offences of this kind, because he regarded them as a bad type of case. It was difficult sometimes to stamp out an evil by a fine, because monetary penalties having regard to the circumstances of accused did not always fit the crime. On behalf of Wilson Mr. Sexton said that he was a mau of most temperate habits, and rarely touched liquor. On the afternoon in question he and two employees of his firm had gone out to the brewery at Otahuhu. They had four whiskies and waters, and were given two glasses of beer later on. Accused was a married man with two children. “I always understood that beer after whisky hail the effect of straightening a man up, but in this case apparently it did not,” said the Magistrate. “He was not mixing his drinks, and he ought to have straightened up.” . . Jn imposing the fine the Magistrate said that ?11 right-minded people drew the line ask to the amount of drink they took when they had to drive a car immediately afterwards. _____