INTOXICATED DRIVER

Matamata Record, Volume XIX, Issue 1789, 7 December 1936, Page 4

INTOXICATED DRIVER

WAHAROA MAORI CHARGED “Make It Four Months, Boy’’ Pleading not guilty to a charge of driving a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated condition, Jack "Wharewhare, described as a Maori farmer of Waharoa, appeared before Messrs W. T. Dale and A. D. Jones, J.’sP., in the Te Aroha Police Court .last Wednesday morning. Constable A. E. Hinton described how in answer to a telephone call he had gone to investigate an accident in Kenrick street and found a lorry with three wheels mounted on the footpath, and defendant attempting to crank it up. Wharewhare, who was obviously under the influence of liquor, declared it was his vehicle and that he was the driver. There was another Maori seated in. the cab and he too was intoxicated. , Both had been arrested and taken in custody. ' . ; ’.• .

The evidence of E. k V. Fitzpatrick showed that a number of people had observed the actions of the, defendant and his mate, who had both attempted to crank the lorry while it was across the footpath, but had been unsuccessful. In his opinion they were .not in a fit condition to have charge of the vehicle. Medical evidence following an examination showed that defendant, though not drunk, was intoxicated to a degree which would affect his caution and make him less capable as a driver.

Defendant, in the box, embarked on a picturesque description of his actions and movements from the time he had arrived in Te Aroha. He had visited the three hotels, he said, but had only succeeded in being served in one of them. He had had only one drink'all day, and it was his mate, Blackie Wharewhare, whom the barmen had refused to serve, not him. He stated that he had parked the lorry in reverse and gone into a batcher’s shop. He noticed the vehicle moving off down the street and had called out to his mate, who was in the cab to put on the brake, but it was too late. Constable Monson: You are certain you were not intoxicated? Witness: How could I be; I . had only one drink. Constable Monson: What about the hotels where they refused to serve you?

Witness: It was not me; I could drink ten big beers and show no signs. I’ll do that before the Court. The Bench: You needn’t bother,!

After deliberation, defendant was fined £lO and costs and his license was cancelled for three months, in default one month’s imprisonment. An application for time in which to pay found Wharewhare keen to drive a bargain. He asked for a year, but the Court, to his keen disappointment, allowed three months. Witness: Make it four months, boy, and I’ll Constable Hinton: Come out of the box! You’ve heard the order of the Court. For having defective brakes Wharewhare was, also fined £2 and costs, bringing the total up to £ls ss.

Blackie Wharewhare, his companion, for being drunk in a public place, was fined lOs.—Te Aroha News.