FOR TWO YEARS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 7 September 1926, Page 4

FOR TWO YEARS.

DRIVER’S LICENSE CANCELLED.

MOTORIST INTOXICATED WHILE IS CHARGE OP CAR.

The peculiar manner in which a driver of a motor car accosted a man. in Princes Street, near the High Street intersection, aroused the suspicions of Sergeant J. Henry yesterday afternoon, and as a result Arthur Walter Martin, salesman for motor accessories, -recently of Nonnanby, appeared at the Hitwera Police Court . this morning to answer a 'charge of being drunk while in charge iff h car. A conviction was recorded, and the defendant’s driving license cancelled for the remainder of its currency j and he was prohibited from obtaining ’ another license, for a further period of twelve months." • Sergeant Henry conducted the case before -Messrs G. H. Buckeridge and L. A. Bone, J’s.P .A plea of not guilty was entered. Constable O. I. Tocher deposed to arresting the defendant. His attention was first called to th£ man by Sergeant Henry;, When defendant got out of the car lie staggered, and could not stand up. properly. He smelt strongly of liquor, and was not- /in a fit condition to drive a car. > When the defendant was asked if he wished to ask the. constable any questions, replied that he “hadn’t listened to what he had been saying.” The Bench stressed the serious nature of the. offence, and advised tjie defendant to pay more attention. Sergeant Henry ©aid that while he was walking along Princes Street, and was about. opposite Riddiford Street, he saw the defendant 'driving along towards High Street. He called to » than on the footpath, and his rather peculiar manner prompted the sergeant to go over, to hint and question him when he stopi>ed outside a hotel. Wit—ness contended that he, was in a state of intoxication, and asked him for his license, but the defendant’ did not appear to understand. v \ Witness) then called two constables- who were near by to come over and arrest , the man, who got out of the car with seme difficulty. Witness had no hesitation in saying that defendant was not in a fit condition to drive a car.

The defendant, in evidence,* said that he gave a. man a- lift from Normanby to Hawera, where he had! two drinks. To the Bench: He had Hot had any liquor before this. The. evidence of the- police to the effect that he was drunk was untrue.

To the Sergeant: It might have been before three o’clock or about.four that he left Normanby, hut he. did: not think he had arrived about two. He admitted having had three drinks in Hawera within haif-an-hduri i The defendant remarked as he left the box, “If you people smelt any liquor on anyone you’d put him down as drunk and disorderly.” The Bench looked upon the offence as being very serious. It was bad enough for a motor-driver to have to contend with’ the various dangers of the. roads without being forced to. tun risks of accidents, with drunken drivers. Defendant would he convicted and prohibited from ’ holding a driver’s license till March, 1928. An order wap made for the current license to be produced to the clerk of the court- for cancellation.