DRUNK AT THE WHEEL

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 125, 31 May 1927, Page 5

DRUNK AT THE WHEEL

YOUNG WOMAN CONVICTED

SEVERE! PENALTY IMPOSED

"The offence is a grave one; drunken drivers are a public menace, and it is probably more through good luck than good management that no one was seriously hurt in this case," said Mr. E. Page, 8.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, when he announced the conviction of Anastasia Kinley, aged 23, of being drunk while in charge of a motor-car last Saturday afternoon. The accused, for whom Mt. A. J. Mazengarb appeared, was also charged with having driven in a manner that, having regard to all the circumstances, might be dangerous to the public; and with not being in possession of a motor driver's license. To the third charge only the defendant pleaded guilty. As'reported in yesterday's "Post," David M'Coinb gave evidence that while his motor-cycle was standing, well lighted, and held by a companion, off the bitumen, track of the Hutt road late on Saturday afternon, Miss Kinley's car struck the machine, throwing it about twelve feet away. Witness's companion was thrown slightly to one side. Witness took the car's numbe> and followed it to Wellington. There was nothing erratic about its course, and he would not have made any complaint to the police but for the fact' that he wanted to settle any claim for damages to his cycle. To the Magistrate: The car was a three-seater, and contained five people. To Mr. Mazengarb: He was surprised to learn that the presnt charge of being intoxicated had been brought against Miss.Kinley. The defendant looked all right to h'iin, and.witness was so sorry for her that he offered^to'bail her out.

Corroborative evidence was given by Audred. Barclay, the companion of the last witness, who also expressed surprise that the defendant had been charged with " drunkenness. She was, however, he said, somewhat excited when he saw her for a moment at the police station. Constable Turvey, who as a result of the. complaint made by the youths, approached the defendant's car in Willis street, said that all four people in the car started talking/at once, so he told them they had better go round to the Taranaki Street Police Station. He did not notice anything wrong at the time, but when the car arrived outside the station he had to -ask the defendant two or three times to get out. When she did so she walked to the station in an unsteady manner. Her breath smelt of liquor, and she was talking a good deal. To Mr. Mazengarb: He was perfectly satisfied to allow her to drive to the station by herself. Outside the station,, when the defendant went back to the car, it suddenly shot forward about twenty-five yards. He had seen people who were not under the influence of liquor send their cars forward when they intended to reverse. "SILLY DBTJNK." Sergeant Wilson said that he saw the defendant, her mother, and two men in the public office of the station. It was apparent that all four had had liquor. Questioned by witness, the defendant, after at first denying having had anything, admitted that she had had one port wine and brandy at Petone. It was apparent that the defendant was intoxicated. She denied that she had collided with the motor-cycle, and said, that she did not know anything about it. Witness asked her if she knew where she was,-and she replied: "Not far from Wellington." Witness concluded from this that she thought that she was at Petone. It was he who instructed, that she should be charged with drnnkenness. The defendant was "silly drunk," and both she and her mother seemed'to treat the matter as a joke. © To Mr. Page: Her speech was thick and when she walked out to the taxi to go to the central station she seemed unsteady. Constable J. Jackson, who was on duty_ in the watchhouse on Saturday evening, corroborated the previous witnesses' evidence as.to tho defendant's condition. He said that she commenced to make a statement, but . he had to stop taking it because she was so foolish. She kept repeating that she was not in Wellington, but in Petone. In what portion.of a statement she did make (produced) she denied all know-, ledge of colliding with a motor-cycle, and admitted that she had had two drinks-at Petone. - Constable Stevenson and a police matron gave corroborative . evidence. Tho police matroa said that the' defendant was very shaky and nervy at 8 o'cloi , find staggered about all over the stairs. She said she had been drinking, but did not say to what extent. THE DEFENDANT'S BTOEY. The defendant told the Magistrate that she very rarely had a drink. She was not feeling very well on Saturday, however, and she had a port wine and brandy early in the afternoon. Later, while at Petone, she had one gin and ginger ale, no more. Coming, back, she did not remember colliding with the'motor-cycle on the" side of the road. Neither did she remember much of what happened at the. police station, because she was so upset. William Kew, the defendant's partner, who was one <Jf the passengers in the car, and her mother, Mrs. Anna Kinley, who was also a passenger, gave evidence as to Miss Kinley's sobriety. The Magistrate: "The main charge has, I think, been established. The evidence shows. that both drinks that the defendant admits having were fairly potent for one unused to intoxicating liquor. On > her way back from Petone, the defendant- collided with the motor-cycle; she went safely to the police station^and then she caused the car to jump forward when asked by the constable to back it. Taken together, these facts do not seem to suggest that she was driving in a careful and capable way. ... In addition, we have the police evidence as to her condition. That the two young men, as well as the constable, did not notice at first that anything was wrong may be accounted for by the fact that they stood on the side of the car farthest away from her. ... I have come to the conclusion that it is established . beyond a doubt that she waß intoxicated.'' Counsel reminded the Magistrate that the defendant had held a driver's license, but had not renewed it. He also pointed out that she had already been punished by publicity and her experience in being locked up. Mr. Page imposed a fine of £25 on the major.charge, and of 10s and costs on the minor. The second charge was withdrawn by . Senior-Sergeant Lander. His Worship also disqualified tho defendant from hoMing a driver's license for the next three years.