DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 23 October 1936, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS

(Per Press Association}. PALMERSTON N., October 21. Evidence was given at the Taxi Commission enquiry to-clay that because fares were too low drivers had to work long hours. Police Inspector Cummings gave evidence that in two years there had been SOO prosecutions arising out of accidents, and only five of them had been against taxi drivers. In his experience taxi men were good drivers and tried to avoid accidents, but he was unable to say if the long hours worked were a material contributing factor to accidents. Inspector Cummings added that 30 per cent, of the prosecutions by the police wore against persons w-ho were passing through the city, and who were not local residents. One owner-driver considered that motor dealers should be dealt with by legislation regarding hire purchases. He estimated that the interest charged by them ■worked out at 18 per cent. INVERCARGILL, October 21.

A petition asking that a liquor license be granted in Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island. is being circulated there for signature. It is contended that if there is any likelihood of licenses being granted to other tourist resorts, such as Milford Sound, then it is onlv right that Stewart Island should also be granted one. Although Stewart Island is in a licensed district there has been no license for many years.

DUNEDIN. October 21. Damages amounting to £203 8s were awarded to John Wilson, a teamster, of Balelutha. by a jury in the Supreme Court to-day. He claimed £6OO general damages and £l3 3s special damages from Helen Stewart, because of a collision between a car in which he was a passenger and another car driven by the defendant’s son,

Wilson suffered a permanent eye injury, which, he said, prevented him from following his occupation.

Counsel for the defence described the claim as extraordinary and exor hitant. CHRISTCHURCH. October 21. Early’ on the morning of July 12 a motor car driven by James Robert Pirie, aged 31, struck a pic cart in Armagh Street, seriously injuring Roy Tenterden Fraser, a storeman, who was buying a pie at the time. Pirie appeared in the Supreme Court yesterday, before Mr Justice Northcroft and a jury on the alterna- • five charges of beinu intoxicated in r-harge of a motor vehicle and cansinc bodily injury to Fraser, and of driving negligently causing bodilyharm. After a retirement of an hour and 10 minutes, the jury returned with a verdict of guilty on the fiwt count, and added a rider recommending the extension of the greatest possible leniency. Pirie was remanded until Fri dav for sentence and was released on bail in his own recognisance of £lOO.

TOO MANY CARS. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON. October 21. The congestion in city parkin' areas, which was described as a pre b'em that bad become so serious as to ehal'enge the ingenuity of all sect on of the community, was discussed by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, which passed a motion to appoint ■ sub-committee to confer wth the authorities interested, and bring down a report. Mr R. H. Nimmo, who m treduced the motion, said the averagnumber of vehicles parked at any time during the day between Courtenay Pluco and Lambton Stat on wa 2500. which, if placed bumper to bumper. would extend for seven miles. For ten hours a day, 1450 vehicles passed along Jcrvois Quay every hour. 1 was a question whether buildings in future shou’d be provided with space for parking cars on the roofs, .‘a <1 Mr M. G. C. McCaul, who seconded the motioriXAnother speaker said :t novol suggestion was made by the lute "Wi.l Rogers to meet the problem in America. Rogers had said that, it aj the people who had not pa’d for their ears were obliged to leave the streets, there would be plenty of room for the others.

INQUEST ON MOTOR VICTIM. WHAKATANE. October 20. The body of Augustus Frederick L'pston Moore, aged 56. married, employed by Wright, Stephenson, and Company, was found on the roadside at Poroporo last night, with a bicyc'e nearby. body was taken to th' morgue, and an examination showed onlv’ minor external injuries. A postmortem examination to-dav revealer 1 extensive internal mjuries, wlrelcaused instantaneous death, and whir 1 point to the belief that Moore was hit by a passing vehicle. An inquesf was opened th’? after noon, and after evidence of identifi cation, was adjourned sine die,.

CHIEF JUSTICE. •WELLINGTON, October 21. Sir Michael Myer*. Chief Justice, arrived back from the Homeland by the Rang'tiki. with Lady Myers. H said he could not help being struck with the number of new houses -n and around London; ai’s> there had been a tremendous increase in the la K t ter years in the number of barge facto" ies built, many of them Amer car -manufacturing hour's. It was pleading to see the ameri’tles nowadays attaching to ■these new factorcs, including gardens, parks.) social club 1 for the employees, athletic clubs, and recreation grounds. He was present a* a reception given by Sir J. Parr to Lovelock on his return from Germany Love’ock was keen to make the try to New Zealand. The new High CommiMAonor. Mr Jordan, had made a very good impression, and no doub* h ; s term of office wou’d be highly successful.