MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 112, 8 April 1930, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

BREACHES OF BY-LAWS

PENALTIES FOR OFFENDERS.

Penalties for breaches of the bylaws were imposed on various offenders who appeared before Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. E. V. West was charged with leaving his car standing in a position other than that indicated by the parking lines. Inspector Smith stated that he had been called to King Street and found defendant’s car blocking the egress of another from the parking line. “This evidently was not a case of the public not knowing where the lines were, or changed conditions of parking,” commented the magistrate jn fining defendant 10s, with 10s costs. No appearance was made by R. T. Jaggard, who was charged with leavinghis car stationary on a culvert in Rangitikei .Street on March 22 at a place where “no parking” was indicated. He was fined 10s, with 10s costs.

Trevor Louisson was charged with driving his car over a fire hose in use in Rangitikei Street. He was fined 10s. with 13s costs. For parking their cars at a distance more than ten feet from the kerb. Rodney Goldingham and Roy Bradford were each .fined 6s, with 10s costs. Cycling %n footpaths was responsible for penalties of 10s, with 10s costs, being imposed-on Hector Barkman and Cecil Stevenson. Graham Looker was fined 10s with 3s costs for riding a cycle at night without a light. For a similar offence at Shannon, Francis A. Wilson was similarly penalised, and was further fined 6s, with 10s costs, for having no rear reflector on his machine. WARNING NOT GIVEN. William Robbie was charged with failing to actuate a warning device and give reasonable notice of the movements of his car in the Square. “I plead guilty to not sounding the warning device, but not guilty to causing an accident,” stated defendant. Sergeant Hill said that defendant had Ins car parked nose-in. In going out he went backwards. The Magistrate: He would not go forward.

Sergeant Hill explained that defendant backed out rather quickly and admitted giving no warning. Defendant explained that his car was parked by the band rotunda. He backed out very quietly and had only emerged five feet when he heard a terrific crash. He found that a boy on a bicycle had put his head right through the side screen of the car. The rider had apparently not been looking where he was going, as there was an empty space on each side defendant’s car. The magistrate imposed a penalty of 6s, with 6s costs, on defendant. FAILURE TO STOP. “This was an oversight on defendant’s part which might have had very grave results. That is about all that one can say. Apparently he just failed to notice the train,” said Sergeant Hill when H. W. M. Brown, of Longburn, was charged with falling to stop at a compulsory railway sign on the Cook Street crossing. Defendant pleaded guilty, saying that he thought the line was clear _ as there were no other vehicles waiting there. “These matters are becoming vtry serious. Every now and again li/cre is a bad accident,” observed the magistrate in imposing a penalty .of £2, w .th lOi costs. DRIVER FINEI). A plea of guilty was entered on behalf of Charles Couchman, who was charged with driving a car in a negligent manner in Rangitikei Street. Sergeant Hill stated that defendant overtook a horse-drawn, vehicle and collided with a rear tfheel of the latter without apparent cause. Mr Ongley stated that defendant was travelling behind the vehicle when he had to swerve to avoid a stationary car. The impact was only three inches inside his car’s bumper. Defendant was fined £2, with 36s costs. MAINTENANCE CASE. Adjourned from the previous week on the of the magistrate, the case in which 'five brothers were called upon to answer proceedings instituted requiring them to contribute towards the support of their mother, Agnes Amelia Jensen, of Palmerston North, again came before the Court. Defendants were Harold William Jensen, Herbert Rasmus Jensen, Charles Henry Jensen (Longburn), Alfred Peter Jensen and Ernest Christensen Jensen (Kelvin Grove). Four defendants appeared and Mr Cooper intimated that they were prepared to meet their responsibility if there was nothing to be obtained for their mother from the estate. Application was being made to the Supreme Court in six weeks to have the trust estate handed over to the Official Assignee. His AVorship asked why they could not make payments _to support their mother in the meantime. She was entitled to that under the will. He said that defendants would have to put their hands in their pockets and he made an order for 10s a week against each, stating that a variation could be mode later if necessary.