REEFTON NOTES

Grey River Argus, 21 March 1940, Page 11

REEFTON NOTES

[From Our Own Correspondent] REEFTON, March 20.. The Magistrate (Mr G. G. Chisholm), held sittings of the Children’s Court and of the Court of Domestic Proceedings. In the Magistrate s Court, Walter J. P. Williams (Mr Morgan) was charged with being intoxicated while in charge of a car, pleaded not guilty. John P. Lee stated that on Monday night he saw . a car driven along Buller Road, which collided with an electric power pole, and then was driven off in an erratic manner. It stopped two blocks down the road and was turned and driven down a back street, later coming back into Buller Road, and then towards town. Constable Plobbs stated he received complaints, made a search and found the car outside the Exchange Hotel. Defendant was in the hotel, and came to the Police Station. Williams walked unsteadily, and slurred in speech, and he could smell liquor ■on defendant. Dr. Wicken- examined 'Williams. Witness found two bottles ■of beer in the car. tie considered Williams was drunk and not in a fit state to drive, a car. Sergeant Ebbett produced the medical certificate of Dr. Wicken, who told defendant he was not fit to drive a car. In the opinion of witness, defendant was definitely not in a fit state to drive a car. In evidence, defendant stated 'that he booked into the Exchange Hotel for the night. He considered that he could not drive the car home and had no intention of driving it. He Suffered from asthma for which he had to take injections, which affected him, and he had had an injection on the previous night. Frederick ‘Lynch, licensee of the Exchange Hotel, stated defendant booked in for the night. The Magistrate was satisfied defendant was under the influence of liquor and was in charge of the car. He would be fined £7 16s and his current driving license would be cancelled, and he would not be permitted to hold a license for 12 months. Reginald M. Pascoe pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving without exercising due care and attention. The information was dismissed. Sydney McMillan, charged with driving in a dangerous manner, having no warrant of fitness, and holding no driver’s license, pleaded not guilty to the first charge, and guilty to the other two. Inspector Hill stated that on the road near Mawheraiti, he noticed defendant’s car being driven in an erratic manner. He stopped McMillan, who ran off the road into the blackberries. He was slouched over the wheel when the car stopped, and was, in the opinion of witness, under the influence of liquor. Witness brought defendant to Reefton and had him examined by a doctor, who certified he was in a fit state to drive a car. McMillan denied that he had had drink. He was fined £2 on the major charge, and on the other two counts was fined 10s on each, with costs totalling £1 16s. Other informations were dealt with as follows —Traffic Inspector Hill v. James Julius, for riding a bicycle after dark without a light; was fined 10s with costs 10s. Traffic Inspector Palmer v. Leslie Hall for riding a bicycle after dark without a light; fined 10s with costs 10s. Traffic Inspector Hill v. Colin McVicar and Neil McVicar, for permitting three cows to wander at Hinau; each fined 5s with costs. Traffic Inspector Hill v. Reginald Alfred Avery, for carrying on a taxiservice without a license; fined 5s with costs 10s. Debt cases were:— R. Roberts v. H. Williams, judgment for plaintiff by default for costs 13s; Joseph Comparin, James Murcott and Eva Banks, trading as “District Cash Butchers” v. A. McPherson; judgment for plaintiff by default for £ll 8s 7d with costs £2 16s.

At a sitting of the Assessment Court, objections to the Valuation Lists for Inangahua County were disposed of as follows:—Worksop Extended Gold Dredging Co. Ltd., and of T. Morris; British Developments (N.Z.) Ltd. Adjourned sine die. Grey River Dredging Co. Ltd. After a lengthy hearing, decision was reserved.

At the Warden’s Court the following applications were granted:—J. A. Davy, three ordinary prospecting licenses; J. Hargreaves, extension of time for application; P. N. Jeffries, assignment of a coal lease; John Lawson renewal of a claim license, Consolidated Gold Fields of N.Z.. renewal of a special site license; Snowy i-Lver Gold Dredging Ltd., extension of time for application.