MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 September 1933, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

TO-DAY’S GREYMOUTH CASES A sitting of the Magistrate’s Court was held at Greymouth this morning, before Mr. W. Meldrum, S.M. SeniorSergeant E. Quayle represented the police. Robert Hannah was charged with riding an unlighted cycle after sunset in Herbert Street on August 29. Hannah pleaded “guilty, on circumstantial evidence,’’ when the charge had been read.

Constable Robinson gave evidence that at 7.25 p.m., on August 29, he caught defendant riding a cycle without a light. Defendant admitted that he was riding the cycle without a light when caught. He stated that he had been out in the bush during the afternoon cutting firewood, and that damage to his cycle had caused him to be late leaving for home. He had zo be at work at 8 p.m., and as he was only on part time, working at a bakehouse, he did not wish to run the risk of losing his job by coming too late to work. He had to go home first to change his clothes, and rode the bike owing to the lateness of the hour. He was convicted and ordered to pay 10/- costs. David Cleghorn for a similar offence on the same date was similarly dealt with. The Senior-Sergeant stated that the two defendants were riding together. Ernest Ord was charged that at Kotuku on July 28, he did damage three boards, valued at 15/- the property of ■ the Grey County Council, thereby committing wilful damage. Defendant pleaded guilty to the charge of damaging the posts, but not guilty of wilful damage. Giving evidence, defendant said he was swinging on the posts when one of them came off and to save himself he swung on to the others, which also came off. They were situated one above the other. He said he admitted to the constable that he did the damage. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay 10/- costs, and to pay 15/the cost of the damage, to the County Council.

NEGLIGENT DRIVING Eugene Thomas Roland Reid, was charged (1) with driving a motorvehicle without being the holder of a driver’s license; and (2) with driving a motor-vehicle in a negligent man ner on the Reefton-Ahaura main road, both offences on August 13, 1933. Mr. J. W. Hannan appeared for defendant and pleaded guilty to both charges. ‘

The Senior-Sergeant said that at about 6.20 p.m., on the date of the offences, a car driven by a man named McPhee, who had with him a man named McDonald and another, stopped on the side of the road on the Ahaura straight. One or two cars came past and then Reid’s car came along. The left hand front wheel of defendant’s car struck the right rear wheel of McPhee’s car, which had both front and rear lights. McDonald stated to the police that he was not a good judge of speed, but Reid’s car seemed to be travelling at an extraordinary speed. The other man, Collins, in McPhee’s car, estimated the speed of defendant’s car at from 50 to 55 miles an hour. Reid was driving a threeseater new Ford, and had three passengers with him. A constable’s examination of the scene of the accident on the following day, showed that Reid’s car went on for 83 paces befor it was stopped. Mr. Hannan said the facts were not disputed. Though he had no license he had been a licensed driver in the past ancU.it was only through, carelessness that he had failed to renew the license. He had only recently come to Greymouth from Dunedin, where he had a license. The Ahaura straight was a road where it was usual to travel at fairly high speed. Defendant maintained that he did not see the lights of the other, car. In any case, only the tail light would be showing. He asked that a light penalty be imposed as defendant would be faced with a civil claim tor damages to the other car. On the charge of driving- without a license, defendant was convicted and fined 5/- with 10/- costs, and £2 and 10/- costs on the charge of negligent driving. The S.M. said there was no question but that defendant must have been travelling at a furious rate. OVERLOADING CHARGE. Joseph Shrives, cartage contractor, of Karoro, was charged that he did operate a heavy motor-vehicle on the Grey Valley—Maruia (Waipuna Road) when the weight of the lorry and the load exceeded 41 tons. Mr T. F. Brosnan represented the Traffic Inspector for the County Council, Mr A. E. Sloss.

Mr A. H. Paterson appeared for defendant, and pleaded guilty. He said tnat defendant was charged with overloading, and since last Court day, when the case, was adjourned, permission had been granted defendant to carry 8 tons on the road. On the day of the pffence he was carrying only 65 tons. Also on the last Court day 10/oxpenses were allowed Traffic Inspector Sloss, and he was not entitled to expenses, as it was part of his job to be at the Court. He asked the S.M. to take those facts into consideration when fixing the penalty. Mr Brosnan said though it was not usual to ask for expenses for the Traffic Inspector, he asked last Court, day, as an adjournment had been granted, and it meant that the Inspector had to come to the Court again. Defendant was convicted and fined 10/-, with 10/. costs, and £l/1/solicitor’s fee.