MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Grey River Argus, 26 June 1946, Page 7

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

SITTING AT GREYMOUTH At a sitting of the Magistrate’s' Court at Greymouth yesterday, the following cases were dealt with before Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M.— TRAFFIC BREACHES Russell Nelson was convicted and fined 10s with costs (10s), when charged with riding an unlighted bicycle in Herbert Street during the hours of darkness. Alan Reuben King was charged witii .that on May 31, at Kamaka, he did drive an unlighted motor-car during the hours' of darkness, and with that he operated a motor vehicle, not being in possession of a warrant of fitness. Constable A. W. Honey said that defendant had been involved in a collision, and when interviewed next day, admitted driving without lights, stating that the generator on his car had failed while he was on the road. He had been unable to produce a warrant of fitness. King was convicted and fined £l/10/- \yith costs (IDs') and police costs (10s) on the first charge, and convicted and fined 10s and costs (10s) on .the second. Leslie Edward Thompson and Raymond Frank Smith were each charged with driving motor-cycles without due care and attention on the West-port-Greymouth highway on April 19. Sgt. R. C. Mcßobie said’that defendants had been proceeding towards Runanga, and had cut in between a car travelling in the same direction as' themselves, and an oncoming car. Thompson had got through safely, but Smith had to swerve sharply, and finished up in the water table. He had received injuries which necessitated his removal to hospital. When asked if he had anything to say, Thompson said that he considered that .there had been plenty of room. Mr McLachlan: “Motor-cyclists often just think they have sufficient room, and often do not consider the menace they can be to other road users.” Smith was convicted and fined £2 with costs (10s), the Magistrate saying he had received part of his punishment through being in hospital, and Thompson was fined £2/10/- with costs (10s). Steve de Goldi was' fined £1 and costs (10s) when charged with driving a motor’ vehicle, he being the holder’ of the wrong class of license, aird £2 and costs (10s) on a charge of exceeding the speed limit in the borough. Traffic Inspector Ramsay said that when stopped, defendant had been travelling- at a speed of 40 miles per hour while driving a motor truck. At that time, (he held a license to drive only a private car. Southern’s Ltd. were convicted and fined £1 and costs (10s) when charged with operating a motor lorry on Mawhera Quay, Greymouth, on May 27, and not being in possession of a warrant of fitness. - MATCHES IN MINE Robert Graham, a miner employed at the Wallsend mine, was convicted and ordered to pay Court costs (10s), when charged with being in possession of matches while working in the Wallsend mine. In evidence, F. E. Lockington, mine manager, said that accused had worked in the mine for over 40 years, and this was the first time that any charge had* been brought against him. On June 6, he was found to have a box containing two wooden and one wax matches in his possession. Witness said that the conditions were unusual, and was' convinced that the offence had been committed unintentionally. Accused, who did not appear, submitted a letter explaining the circumstances of the case. WARDEN'S. COURT. The following applications were dealt with at a sitting of the Warden’s Court, before Mr- A. A. McLachlan, Warden: — Blackball Creek Coal Co., surrender of water race licence No. 8214.— Accepted as from March 22, 1946. Victor 'David Kirk, Dominic Kelly, and Alfred Fischer, extension of time for disposal of application No. 75/4o for coal prospecting licence. —Granted.