Pahiatua Magistrate’s Court

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 68, 22 March 1937, Page 2

Pahiatua Magistrate’s Court

Before Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., on Friday, Noel Budden was charged that on January 7, at Mangatainoka, he aid assault Frederick Grubner. Constable Prussing stated that the trouble, which had been brewing for some time, had reached a climax when the two met on the date in question. The Bench told Budden that he could not take the law into his own hands and fined him 30s costs. On a further charge of allowing cows to wander on the road, Budden was fined 10s and costs. James Henry Cotter, charged with driving a car across a railway line on the main Hutt road at Petone on Janu- . ary 4 when the line was not clear, was fined £2 and costs. Defendant sard lie did not remember the crossing being not clear and that as far as he knew he had crossed the line in company with other cars. Constable Prussing stated that it was evidently a case of a country man not understanding the traffic signals. Frederick Lskinc was the next to be called and was charged with driving a motor-car on the l’ongaroa-Pahiatua main road in a dangerous manner. Constable Prussing explained that Eskine was on the wrong side of the road while climbing a winding hill and at a corner came face to face with another car.

Defendant was represented by Mr. fc. K. Siddells, who said EskiDe was coming into Pahiatua on Christmas Eve with his wife and young children, so would hardly drive carelessly. Counsel added that the bend was a very dangercus one, with the road sloping inwards with a. drop of 2ft. 6ins. Eskine, he' said, had been driving for 11 years, and had admitted being in the centre of! the road but so was the other car, which had cut into the corner. If defendant had not cut back his car would have gone over tho bank, whereas if the other car had not stopped Eskine would not have hit it. Eskine was lined £2 and cost**