TAXI-DRIVER FINED

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 2, 27 September 1939, Page 3

TAXI-DRIVER FINED

Intoxicated In Car Charged with being intoxicated while in charge of a car on Sunday, September 24, Matthew McVey, taxi-driver, 673 High Street, Lower Hutt, appeared before Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Lower Hutt, yesterday. Matthew Kehoe, traffic inspector, stated that he was on duty on the Hutt Road, near the Taita Hotel, when his attention was attracted .to a car travelling south. He followed the car, which entered the area restricted to 30 miles an hour. The car was being driven in an erratic manner, and when passing a bus it swerved badly. Its speed increased and witness, who was doing 63 miles an hour, failed to overhaul it. Later, he stopped the car in the neighbourhood of Park Avenue and found nine persons in. it. The accused was taken to the Lower Hutt police station, where he was examined by Dr. B. J. Dudley, who certified to his be* n n intoxicated. Constable C. E. Tanner also gave evidence of the accused’s intoxication.

A medical certificate was put in by the accused giving the opinion of Dr. Nash, who had examined him some time afterwards, that he was not intoxicated. In evidence, McYßiy said that he had been a taxi-driver for four years. On the day in question, he was at the Taita Hotel for about an hour, and had three beers. When he left he had eight passengers, two of whom were in the front seat. Park Avenue was the shortest way to Brassel Street, which was where he was going. When he first saw the inspector he was turning from Park Avenue into Nae Nae Road. He admitted driving at from 40 to 45 miles an hour.

Mr. Goulding. in fining the accused £2O and cancelling his licence for six months, said he had considered imprisonment, but on account of the accused's having a wife and family he had decided upon a fine. The accused, in his position as a taxi-driver, should be expected to abstain from liquor while on duty.