HEAVY PENALTY IMPOSED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 143, 16 May 1930, Page 2

HEAVY PENALTY IMPOSED.

£2O FINE INFLICTED. CANCELLATION - OF DRIVER’S LICENSE. Pleading guilty in the Police Court this morning, before Messrs W. F. Durward and D. J. Lovelock, Justices of the Peace, to a charge of being in charge of a car in Rangitikei Lino while in a state of intoxication on May 14, Claude Rusher, a cook, aged 43,'was fined £2O and had his driver’s license cancelled for twelve months. Mr Ongley appeared for defendant. Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse stated tiiat defendant was proceeding from NVaipukurau to Wanganui yesterday when he missed the turn at Ashhurst, and came on through' Palmerston Ncrth. When he was passing the Mangaone bridge on Rangitikei Line an accident occurred. His car was found on the right side of the road extensively damaged, with the hood battered and the right rear wheel resting on its spokes. The tyre was picked up half a chain away. The car appeared to have somersaulted once or twice. Defendant, who had a companion, appeared to be in a drunken condition. Ho was examined by Dr Peach as to. his sobriety and a certificate was given to the police. Mr Ongley stated that defendant had reluctantly pleaded guilty on his advice after knowing the nature of the evidence. He had left Dannevirke for Wanganui in an old car which had by far seen its best days, and trouble with the steering gear had caused the accident. He had subsequently issued instructions to a garage and had reported to his wife over the telephone when he was arrested and charged with drunkenness. He admitted having had drinks, but denied that he was under the influence of liquor. It was the first time he had touched it for months. He was proceeding to Wanganui to see his sister and the races, lie had driven a car since’ 1916 and had never been involved in any charge before. He had not injured anyone on this occasion. The Bench; That might be more by good luck than by good management. Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse said he had omitted to mention that two full and one partially empty bottle of beer, with a glass, had been found on the grass alongside the car. Delendant was convicted and the penalty was imposed as stated. Mr Ongley stated that the cancellation of liis license was a serious blow to defendant, who was using his car for his livelihood in delivering fish, lie was willing to take out a piohibition order. The Bench declined to reconsider the penalty, stating that defendant should have thought of the consequences before he took the liquor, and not afterwards.