WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE?

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1914, Page 8

WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE?

SUNDAY'S MOTOR INCIDENT IN CHRISTCHURCH

>• TAXI-DRIVER'S VERSION. The CHristchurch police are searching for. the young man or young men responsible for Sunday's taxi-cab episode, in Avhich a girl of fifteen was said to have been turned out of a car, drunk, | on Eolleston-svenue. The car concerned is a big touring car with a hood. It I ,was driven by James Salt, a licensed driver. His explanation of the ejection of the girl into the street, says the Star, is that she became bad on theway home, and it was intended to drive her to the' hospital. In Rolleston-aVenue a .gentleman stopped thd car to see what the row was about, and, on ascertaining ■ the state of affairs, took the girl into a. house close by and rang up for the • police. The motor-car was found to contain hair combs, hair ribbons, and other evidences of disorder. It is stated that the police have been informed at what hotel the liquor was on Sunday. Salt says that he knew the two girls slightly. About 4 p.m. on Sunday one of them came to him and said that if he Would drive around k> Herefordstreet there was a job waiting for him. ■He went there, and found the other girl •and a man whom he did not know. The party said they wanted to be driven to New Brighton. They had hardly started when they changed their minds, 'and said they would go to Kaiapoi. They went to the hotel where the man was staying, got his overcoat, and drove to Kaiapoi. They had tea at the Mandeville Hotel there, and, after staying a few minutes longer, set off for home. Salt says that on the way home the elder girl got into the front of the car with him. On the way back they called at Salt's aunt's house, where they stayed for about a quarter of an hour. They started again, and when at Papanui the girl began to scream. Salt turned round and asked what the matter was, saying that "that was no good to him." He says that every time the girl was asked anything she Screamed. ># At the Carlton Hotel corner she commenced screaming again, and Salt. said that _he would take ( her straight to the hospital. When in Rollestou-avenue some- young fellows were standing in the road, and one of them jumped on to the footboard of the car. Salt pulled up, and his three passengers got out. Two women came out of a house near by. and asked what was wrong with the girl. Salt said that he thought she wajs m hysterics, and he was taking her to the hospital. They said they would iJook after her, and the man and the girl iwalked off. After waiting awhile, Salt drove the second girl home, and then went to the 'Excelsior Hotel to find the man, as ha had not been paid his hirt.