Dangerous Driving In Residential Area

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1949, Page 2

Dangerous Driving In Residential Area

Howard Gordon Smith, a commercial traveller, of Christchurch was charged in, the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth yesterday with driving a motor-car in Tainui Street, Gieymouth, at a speed which might have been of grave danger t 0 the public. Traffic-Inspector A. E. Macefield stated that the defendant, who had pleaded guilty by letter, had driven past two schools at a speed of between 52 and 53 m.p.h. when children were leaving the schools and traffic was busy on the, street. The Magistrate, M. F. F. Reid, fined defendant £3 with 10s costs. Richard Thurlow Watson was convicted and ordered to pay court costs 10s and solicitor s fee £1 Ils 6d, following a charge laid by Alexander Day, Inspector for the Brunner Borough Council, of cycling over the Taylorville footbridge. Samuel Merlin Case was convicted and discharged on a charge of operating a heavy motor vehicle without being the holder of a heavy traffic licence. He explained to the court that he had been waiting to get his. newly-purchased vehicle weighed. James Alan Shaffrey was fined £1 with 10s costs for driving a motortruck oh the Kumara-Mitchell’s highway on June 26 when he was not the holder of a driver’s licence. Mr C. R. McGinley, who entered a plea of guilty on behalf of the defendant, said that Shaffrey had been seriously injured in the accident v hich led to the charge and he was still under treatment at Dunedin.

Arnold Albert Thomas, commercial traveller, of Hokitika, was fined £2 with 10s costs for failing to keep as near as practicable to the left of the roadway. It was stated that the defendant when followed drove on the wrong side of the road for about one and a half miles and vehicles had been unable to pass him. A charge which followed an accident at the intersection of Guinness and Tarupuhi Streets. Greymouth, on August 5 was defended by Ronson William Clarke,, clerk of Greymouth. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to give way to a vehicle on his right.

Inspector Macefield said that defendant’s car was proceeding north along Tarapuhi Street and was more than half way across the intersection with Guinness Street when it was struck about the right rear wheel by a Post and Telegraph Department true ktravelling west along Guinness Street.

Asked by Mr C. R. McGinley (counsel for the defendant) as to the reason no information had been laid against the driver of the other vehicle involved on the collision, Inspector Macefield said that he could not say. A ticket had been issued and the file regarding the accident had been forwarded to the Commis l sioner of Transport. In hi. 4 evidence for the prosecution William James Lindsay denied charge of excessive speed made bj counsel.

Evidence was also given by de 1 fenc’ant and Duncan Hardie, a furniture manufacturer who witnessed the collision. The Magistrate, Mr F. Reid, said that he was satisfied the defendant had been guilty of a breach of the right-hand rule, for though it was highly probable that his vision was obscured by parked cars, it does not necessarily relieve him of his responsibility. At the same time it was not a bad offence and the payment of costs would meet the case, concluded Mr Reid, who convicted defendant and ordered him to pay court costs of 10s.