DRINK AND MOTOR-LORRY.

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 137, 6 December 1930, Page 11

DRINK AND MOTOR-LORRY.

F.dward Holmes was - char-god--in-. th« Petone . Court to-day before ..Messrs. A. Anderson and G. D.. M'Ewen, J.P.s, with haying been in a state of intoxication while in charge of-,a motor-lorry. Ha pleaded guilty. . . ■■■[■ Senior-Sergeant E. J. M'Kelvey : said that the attention of a constable had been drawn yesterday afternoon to-, the actions of the defendant -in -Fitzherbert street. He was staggering about,.: notice-: ably under the influence .of liquor. He went to his motor-lorry, cranked it, and got in, and was just starting when the constable took, him' in-C'charge '■-'. .'and brought him to the station! For Holmes, Mr. C. R; Barrett''said that just before midday the defendant had had a few drinks with.a business-acquaintance, and they had affected him/to a; greater extent than they should, have because he had had no sleep the previous .night, and no lunch that. day, ■ owing, to-, the ,-illn'e.ss of his wife. .TVhen Hecame opt" of -"the hotel he realised, "that .he., was "not-q'uita vclj, and so-did not drive" the "lprry.'avray until later in tlie afternoon- When" "lie thought he was fit. It was;then: tliat the constable had- caught him. -He had never been before.the Court previously,.:and- it tvas through pure misfortune, that. .he. was in his present position. ■";.•_■ ■..-;.:. Mr. Barrett asked that the'defendant'! licence should not bei taken a-way because, as he was a coal merchant,."his, lorry, was practically the sole means of 'livelihood for himself, his wife, and five- children. He was lirepared to take out a prohibition order against himself. A fine of £5 was imposed, and "the defendant was ordered to; take out- a;Jprohibitioa order. . . , ■;■ w ■'■';_■