CAR SMASHED

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 196, 16 May 1930, Page 10

CAR SMASHED

DRIVER INTOXICATED Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, May 15. “That might be more by good luck than good management,” commented the bench to-day when Mr. A. M. Ongley, who appeared for Claude Rusher, a cook, charged before Messrs. W. F. Durwood and D. J. Lovelock, J.P.’s, with being drunk in charge of a car, stated that his client had never been involved in a charge before and had not injured anyone on the occasion under consideration. Rusher was fined £2O and his driver’s license was cancelled for 12 months. Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse stated that defendant had had an accident near the Mangaone bridge on tlie Rangitikei line. His car had been found on the right-hand side of the road extensive damaged. The car appeared to have somersaulted once or twice. Two full and one partially empty bottles of beer with a glass had been found on the grass alongside the car. Defendant, who had a companion with him, had appeared to be in a drunken condition. Mr. Ongley stated that Rusher had left Dannevirke in an old car which had, by far, seen its best days, and trouble with the steering gear bad caused the accident. Defendant admitted having had drinks, but denied that he was under the influence of liquor. When a conviction was entered and sentence imposed Mr. Ongley stated that cancellation of defendant’s license would be a severe blow, as he was using his car for his livelihood in delivering fish. He was willing to take out a prohibition order. The bench commented that Rusher should have thought of the consequences before he took the liquor, not afterwards.