AIR PILOT CHARGED

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 240, 7 July 1931, Page 10

AIR PILOT CHARGED

Sunday Passenger Flights DECISION RESERVED Dominion Special Service. ■ Wanganui, July 6. As a result of picking up passengers for the aeroplane which he was fijins at Castlecliff Beach on June 21, Captain Leslie Harold Brake was charged at the Magistrate’s Court this morning with plying for hire on a Sunday. Constable Miller said that he had asked defendant at the conclusion of one of his flights, on the Sunday afternoon whether he was aware that he was liable to prosecution for carrying passengers. Captain Brake said he was aware of it, but was carrying on, as he knew that legislation was being introduced into Parliament to permit the carrying of passengers for hire. The witness saw no money being paid for the flights. . Mr. Coheri thought that it was the first time the matter had been argued. Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., said that there had been several prosecutions of - the same nature, but they had not been argued, the defendants preferring to pay a nominal fine rather than argue the matter. Mr. Cohen submitted that the section 'of the Act was governed by some wide outlook, and permitted such things as Sunday morning barbers, railway trains,’ tramcars, livery stables, garages, taxis for hire, pleasure boats for hire, etc. He then defined a “carriage.” which he contended was not a thing restricted to wheels. ■ ■' '■■After remarks on the usefulness of the aeroplane by Mr. Cohen, particularly in regard to cases of sickness, Mr. Salmon remarked that if a person’s susceptibilities were not hurt by the hiring of pleasure boats anti taxis, they should not he hurt by the flying of aeroplanes for hire. He admitted that he bad had some of the ideas that Mr. Cohen had expressed in his defence for some time, and he would probably support those views. The decision would be given in writing.