MOTORING CHARGES

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 301, 16 September 1936, Page 13

MOTORING CHARGES

Driving in a Dangerous Manner > Two Convictions Entered Three cases in which motorists were charged with driving in a manner that might have been dangerous were heard by Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday. In two cases fines were imposed, and in the third the defendant was acquitted. Allegations that Roy Thomas Haddon, commercial traveller, of Wellington, travelled at an excessive speed and veered over the white line when rounding a bend were- made when he was charged with driving in a manner that might have been dangerous to the public on the Paremata-Pahautanul Road, on August 7. Police witnesses said defendant rounded the bend at from 30 to 35 miles an hour in rain with the wheels of his car a foot over the white line and struck a lorry which was on Its correct side. Defendant, who said he had never been in court before, although he had been driving for 21 years, doing about 2000 miles a month, declared that he went round the bend on his correct side at about 25 miles an hour, but the lorry was over to the wrong side of the white line. The magistrate commented that there was a conflict as to which vehicle was Over the white line, but defendant's own admission was that he travelled round the bend at about 25 miles an hour when the regulations prescribed 15 miles an hour. Defendant was fined £2 and costs.

Douglas John Smith, bank clerk, of Wellington, charged with driving In a dangerous manner on August 2 in Raroa Road, was acquitted. The police said defendant, travelling uphill, rounded a rather sharp bend near Plunket Street, at about 20 miles an hour, striking a pedestrian. The magistrate said the evidence about speed was uncertain and the driver had such a short time in which to see the man who was struck and who was trying to dodge three cyclists coming down the road at the time that it would be difficult to say that he was negligent. The circumstances of a collision at the intersection of Featherston Street and Lambton Quay on August 1 led to a charge of driving In a manner that might have been dangerous against Leonard Alexander Nash, taxi-driver, of Wellington. The police alleged that he crossed the Intersection at from 30 to 35 miles an hour, striking a motorcar going at about 10 miles an hour out of Featherston Street. Evidence for the defence was given by two passengers In the taxi, and by defendant himself, it being stated that the speed of the taxi was between 20 and 25 miles an hour, and was slackened as the intersection was reached. Defendant’s attention was on two pedestrians who were crossing the street In Imposing a fine of £2 and costs, ithe magistrate said he was satisfied the prosecution, had jnade out a case, but it was not a bad one.