NEW ROAD LAWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 68, 17 September 1936, Page 11

NEW ROAD LAWS

FIRST CASES HEARD

A WARNING GIVEN

"This is the first prosecution under the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 1936," said Mr. A. R. Cooper, who appeared for the City Council, when Patrick Joseph Boyle was charged in the Magistrate's Court today- before Mr. Raymond Ferner, S.M., with exceeding a speed of thirty miles 'an.hour on his motor-cycle on the Hutt Road. Mr. Cooper pointed out that the new -Act imposed a speed limit of 30 miles per hour in boroughs. The Hutt Road was within the city boundaries to-Nga-hauranga, but the city bylaws with their 25 miles per hour limit did not apply. Apart from the 20 miles per hour limits through Ngahauranga and Kaiwarra, the only limit that applied was the new 30 miles per hour one. The defendant was driving at 45 miles per hour. . ■ . The defendant's . explanation was that he, did not know there was any restriction in the gart of the road on which he was driving; Outside both Kaiwarra and Ngahauranga boards were up carrying the notice, "Local restriction ceases," and he had taken this to mean that there was no further speed limit. He. did not consider his speed to be in any way dangerous. "Taking the circumstances into consideration, I do not think this particular offence calls for a heavy penalty," said the Magistrate. "This must serve as a warning that no speed greater than 30 miles per hour will be permitted on the Hutt Road." The defendant was convicted and fined 10s and costs. Three other motorists were charged with a similar offence on the Hutt Road on August 21 and 22. Each was fined 10s and costs. John Lynch's speed between Kaiwarra and Ngahauranga was given as 45 miles per hour, Allan- Newbold's car was said to be travelling at 40 miles per hour, anu Oliver Walton's was doing a similar speed. There was a steady flow of traffic, »nd the road was dry. Failure- to keep as near as possible to v the left of the centre line of the Hutt Road on August 22 cost Edwin Donoghue 10s and costs. Mr- Coopersaid that this case was the first one brought in Wellington for this offence as applied to the Hutt Road. The Magistrate said that the case should '' also serve as a . warning. On a similar charge, Stafford Rapley was also fined 10s and costs.