POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 19375, 8 October 1926, Page 1

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, B.M.)' REMANDED. A young man was charged with the theft of a horse and cover, of a total value of £ll, the property of Albert Stewart. Mr Hay, who appeared for accused, said the summons had only been served last evening, and he asked for a remand until Monday in order to bo given a chance to go into the facts. Chief-detective Lewis said the accused stated he had found a pony in the street. The police alleged that, after trying it out, ho had disposed of it for £3. He was a married man. A remand was granted, accused s name being suppressed in the meantime. DANGEROUS DRIVING. Albert George Anderson and James Harold Vincent Martin were charged ■with driving a motor van near 1 ukcteraki in a dangerous manner. Mr B. S. Irwin pleaded guilty on behalf of Anderson. Martin wrote stating that ho could not appear at court, and adding that ho had already told the police that ho was not driving the car. Sub-inspeotor O’HaUoran said that in an English case it had been held that the owner of a car sitting next to a driver was equally culpable with him if the car were not properly driven. Sub-inspector O’Halloran said that on the Ivilmog hill ■ the defendants drove round a sharp bend at thirty miles an hour, narrowly missing the police car, which was going up the hill. Constable Taylor estimated the speed at thirty miles an hour, and said the car was well on the wrong Bide of the road. .... . Mr Irwin said a man was likely to swing out to the right at a corner to see the road ahead sooner. ud> said counsel, I suppose wo have all driven at thirty miles an hour. _ “A man on his wrong side has no right to he travelling at _ thirty miles an hour,” said His Worship, who lined Anderson £3 and costs. Ho intimated that if the police sawfit to charge the driver of a car and the owner, too, he w r ouid not enter two convictions, unless there were particular circumstances.

INSUFFICIENT LIGHTS,

F. G. Caddie, for leaving a motor truck in the street without a right, was fined 5s and 7s costs. William Crowe, for riding a bicycle without a light, was fined 5s and costs. Stewart Gibb, A. I. D. Ramsay, Hector Stevenson Taylor, and Leslie Watson were each fined 5s and costs for leaving motor vehicles without lights. Gustave Johnston was convicted only for a similar offence. CYCLING ON FOOTPATH.

11. Herbert, a boy seventeen years of ago, was fined ss, without costs, 101 cycling on the footpath. A MOTORIST’S MISFORTUNE. C R. Folev was charged with driving a car without lights on September Ji la Const'b’e Macartney staled that defendant was a gripman in the einploj of the corporation tramways. On September 21, whilst trying out a car he had just purchased, he unfoi tunatelj ran into a house at the corner of Kenmuro road and Macnoe street, doing a considerable amount of, damage, homy was a very careful driver. The accident would cost defendant between ioU and £OO. . . , , Defendant was convicted without penalty* FAILED TO STOP.

James Reynolds was charged with failing to stop his car after an accident had arisen. Ho pleaded not guilty, and Mr C. J. Payne appeared for him. Robert Ernest Richardson said that defendant’s cur grazbd though ho followed it, the driver did not stop. Alfred Edward Anindalo gave corroborative evidence. Defendant, who had come from bore to defend the ease, said that his car was actually stopped when complainant's car just touched his buffer. 11 ituess had stopped to let Richardson pass, as he wanted to turn to the right. He did not regard it as an accident at all, and he just started Ms car and drove on This evidence was supported by a passenger in the car. The Magistrate said it was important that in matters of accidents, however trivial, drivers of cars should stop and give each to the other such information as might ho desired. Delendnnt would bo (20s) and court costs (11b).

TRAFFIC CONSTABLE IGNORED. Archibald M'Larcn was charged with having failed to stop his caf on demand of a constable. Defendant pleaded nob guilty, conducting his own ease. Constable Meiklejohn stated that lie was on duty at the corner of Neville and M'Glashan .streets on Saturday, September 18, the day nf the Wclling-ton-Otago football match. Witness considered "that. defendant was travelling too fast, and ho held up Ms hand to stop him, hut M'Larcn took no notice of him, and did not even slacken Ms speed. The defendant said lie did not sec the constable until lie was practically on him. Ho thought he was signalling the driver of a car behind him. The Magistrate stated that ho would treat the case as one of ignorance, and imposed a penalty of 20s and costs, WANDERING- HORSES. M. J. Smart, for_ allowing horses to wander in the public streets, was convicted.