MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 September 1938, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

TO-DAY’S GREYMOUTH CASES. Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M., presided over to-day’s sitting o£ the Magistrate’s Court, Greymouth. SeniorSergeant E. Quayle represented the police. The case against William Pendlebury, charged, with, being intoxicated while in charge o£ a motor-car, was further adjourned until next Monday. Mr J. W. Hannan, for defendant, said that his client was incapacitated by the prevailing epidemic of measles. For incorrectly parking a cai 1 in Mackay Street, on April 21, .John Petrie Carew Harvey was fined 10/-, with costs. Hugh McGilligan was charged that, on .June 11, near Gladstone, he failed to keep his car as close as practicable to the left of the roadway. He -was also charged with driving, without a license. The informations were laid by Traffic Inspector R. P. Chibnail. Defendant did not appear. Inspector Chibnail said that the prosecution was the result of an accident. Defendant was driving from Greymouth towards Hokitika, and collided with a cai’ travelling in the opposite direction. The collision occurred about 10 p.m. on a level stretch of road. Miss T. S. King said that she was driving from Camerons towards Greymouth. When about half a mile from Gladstone, she saw the lights of an aproaching car. She was travelling very slowly, and pulled right over to her correct side. Her car was Ilin, off the bitumen, and only Sin. from the swamp. Defendant’s car came across the road, struck the front wheel of her car, bounced off, and struck the real’ of the car. No one was injured. Miss L. G. Fell, a passenger, gave corroborative evidence. Inspector Chibnail said that, in response to a telephone message, ii*e went to the scene of the accident. The car driven by Miss King was Ilin, from the edge of the bitumen, and she could not go further to the left without going into the swamp. The left • hand rear wheel of McGilligan’s car was 9ft. from the edge of the bitumen on his own side. In a statement, McGilligan said that Miss King’ car had strong headlights. He thought that he was as far as he could be to his left. There was a crash, and his car stopped dead. He was not travelling fast. He was satisfied that the Inspector’s measurements were correct and that he could have had his carj further over to the left. He had not renewed his driver’s license. 1 On the first charge, defendant was fined 30/-, with costs; on the second charge, he was fined 10/-, with costs. On the information of Traffic Inspector Chibnail, John Charles Witherington was charged that, on July 22,

at Camerons, he exceeded the maximum speed of 25 miles per hour, in a motor-lorry, which was in Class F of •the Heavy Motor-vehicle Regulations. Defendant did not appear. Inspector Chibnall said that he was driving along the main road', and checked defendant’s speed over a mile It varied from 34 to 38 miles pei' hour. The Main Highways Board had requested witness to pay attention to this type of offence, owing to the damage being done to the roadd. A recent check-up showed that 60 per cent, of vehicles of this class exceeded the speed limit. Apart from considerations, of safety, said the S.M., the Department was justified in pursuing this matter with , some vigour. The destruction involved to the roads involved unnecessary expenditure. This type of offence must be checked, and, if light fines did not succeed in doing this, heavier fines would be inflicted. Defendant would be fined £l, with costs.

On the information of Traffic Inspector A. E. Sloss, Hugh McCutcheon was fined £l, with costs, for driving an unregistered motor-van, on July 31.