A MISSING CAR

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 92, 20 April 1931, Page 8

A MISSING CAR

FOUND IN WRONG HANDS

YOUNG MAN IN TROUBLE

Difficulty in starting a car at Brooklyn late on Saturday night resulted in the intervention of a constable and the arrest of the driver, James Butler Kelly, a panelbeater, aged 23, who was charged before Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day with converting a car valued at £75 to his own use. Evidence showed that the accused had been drinking with sailors earlier in the evening, and when he was arrested at Brooklyn at 11.30 p.m. he still smelt of liquor. In. imposing a fine of £10, the Magistrate remarked that the accused might consider himself very lucky not to have rendered himself liable for driving when intoxicated.

Sub-Inspector Lopdell said that when the accused was arrested on Saturday night he had two sailors and two women in the" car. He was having difficulty in starting the car, and was holding up a tram. When a constable went to see what was the trouble he recognised -the car as one that had been reported missing earlier in the evening. He also noticed that the number plates had been painted over, and that the accused had had drink, although he was not sufficiently under its influence to be arrested on that charge. The circumstances indicated that when he had taken the car he was under the influence of Jiquor. The car was damaged to the extent of £1 lls 6d, and had evidently been in a collision.

Mr. A. J. Mazengarb, who appeared for Kelly, said that the accused, who was a married man with one child, had commit-' ted no previous offences whatever. He had been employed by a Wellington firm of motor .body builders for the last six months, and before that he had been working at Dannevirke.

On Saturday afternoon, said Mr. Mazengarb, the accused attended football practice, and afterwards went to a hotel, where he became involved in a drinking bout with some sailors. The drinking went on until 8 p.m., when the accused picked up the car.- He was not the only one concerned in the matter, as one of the sailors had driven the car to a party ia Brooklyn. .The accused knew nothing of the collision or the obliteration of the plates.

"The young man is worthy of a chance, and the damage would be made good by him," continued counsel. "It is apparent that this indulgence in liquor on Saturday night has led to his downfall."

Mr. Mazengarb suggested that the accused might be admitted to probation on condition that he madegopd the damage and took out a prohibition order against himself.

Mr. Woodward: "I don't think this is a case for probation. I don't intend to inflict a term of imprisonment, but it is a case for a substantial fine."

The accused, who consented to a prohibition order being made out against himself, was ordered to pay the £10 fine at the rate of £2 per week and make the necessary repairs to the enr.