INEFFICIENT BRAKES

Evening Post, Issue 154, 1 July 1936, Page 17

INEFFICIENT BRAKES

An accident in which four cars were involved, and which occurred on the main Paraparaumu road on March 14, resulted in the appearance before Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday of Arapo Edwax'ds, on a charge of operating a motor-car with inefficient brakes. .

Sub-Inspector C. E. Roach explained that the defendant's car, which was going north, struck one southbound ear, was deflected, and carried another with it into the ditch.

Evidence given by Philip Leslie Hinge, one ol the other drivers, Ernest Norris, a motor mechanic of a Paekakariki garage, and Constable B-. Smith was to the effect that both the lootbrake and the hand-brake were inefficient. The test was made by jacking' the rear wheels o£ the ear oil" the ground after it had been brought in to the Packakariki garage. When the brakes were applied, the wheels could h~? turned by hand.

Mr. J. S. Hanna, who appeared for the defendant, said that Edwards was a Kawhia Maori, who drove his relatives down to Otaki and had from time to time driven in to Wellington and back, as he had been doing that day.

Evidence for the defence was given by Percival James McLeod, a motor assessor and consulting engineer, and John Alexander Irwin, motor mechanic.

"It appears to me-that the evidence given by the last two witnesses, honest though it is. does not go to the root of the matter." said the Magistrate. "I have the direct evidence of the mechanic who attended the car before it left the scene of the accident."

The defendant ' fined 20s and costs.

was convicted and