SERVICE-CAR DRIVER CONVICTED

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 265, 5 August 1937, Page 6

SERVICE-CAR DRIVER CONVICTED

Intoxicated in Charge of Vehicle Dominion Special Service. Hastings, August 4. A line of £lO, with costs £2, was import by Mr. J. Miller, S.M., in the Ma- state’s Court on Dunean Eric Eva°us serHee-ear driver, Feruhil , on a charge of being found m a state ot l‘„ Wile 1" el'SjL.’, motor-car. Evans, who plm dtdnot guilty, was represented by Mi. W. b. AV -S’public is entitled to expect a service car driver to be sober. H community cannot afford to hese drivers taking liquor, no niattu what degree, and when they « charged with doing so they given no chance at all, Miller. “I do not know whethei lam doin- right, but in this case 1 am »oing to trelt him leniently.” The evidence was that Evans had had only two glasses of stout. It was a case where only a Rttle liquor had been taken, but it was too much for Evans because o his temperament. He was a man who Should not drink at all. What drink he°had had did not appear to have affected his driving. . . . Dr r L. Kitchen said he had examined Evans in. the poflee station and his examination showed early signs of alcoholoc intoxication, which wSI wake u»«t »», b " “ Of a car. To Mr. Averill Dr. Kitchen said from observation the early signs were indefinite, but a subjective examination showed a more definite result. Evans was of an excitable, cr ratic nature, and it would take little of anything to upset him. It mi=,ht be quite J true that accused had had onlj two glasses of stout, for he would be susceptible to even that small amount, and if there had been an argument following this it would probably affect the speech of a man with such a nature The' magistrate asked Dr. Kitchen if he suggested it was a borderline case. Dr. Kitchen said it could have been, but had he thought so he would have Riven him the benefit of the doubt. He was just over the borderlnspector D. Mann said he wished to inspect the vehicle for what he suspected were defective brakes, and while talking to Evans he noticed his breath smelt of liquor. Evans admitted he had had “two or three ” At the conclusion of the test of the brakes witness formed the opinion that Evans was not in a fit condition to be in charge of a car, and although his driving appeared to be quite all right he took him to the police station. After the police evidence had been heard Mr. Averill, for the defence, said Evans would probably have been all right had he not got into a wordy argument with the traffic inspector. When Evans learned that the inspector wished to see him he actually drove his car to look for the inspector. Accused had had two glasses of stout, but he was of an erratic temperament and the case appeared to be a borderline one.