TAUGHT THE KING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13491, 18 May 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

TAUGHT THE KING.

MOTORIST'S ENCOUNTER WITH POLICE.

"I have had the.honour of instructing his : Majesty the King, the Prince of Wales, Prince Christian, and other members of the Royal household in the art of motoring. I am considered to bo an expert in motor matters, and I feel this affair very keenly-" '' ' ■ Tims Mr. Oliver Stanton, an American gentleman living at Cavendish Mansions, West Hampstead, who was summoned at Marylebone, London, for driving a motorcar along Avenue Road, St. John's Wood, at a greater speed than twenty miles an hour, and failing to- produce his license to drive. . "/' : ; :;;

"The two constables," continued Mr. Stanton, "were very brusque, and looked like brigands(laughter)—and when, they asked for my license I refused to produce it, because "it was a virgin one (i.e., it had no stain upon it), and offered instead to drive the whole load of them to the station. *

" Some time after the accident, I went into the park, and met there a very high official from Scotland Yard, who greeted me with the remark, 'Oh have they got you in?' (Loud laughter.) I confessed with regret they had, and said I felt very wrath about it. The high official then asked, 'What did you do?' I told him that, having been caught in a trap, I went to the top of Avenue Road, and stopped there from ten minutes past ten to a quarter past one warning every motorist who came along that the trap was in existence and advising them to avoid it. '■■■•• .-.••■-.

"Altogether ; I warned forty-two, and held them up, and they all went down the road like a funeral procession. (Laughter.) What the police-thought of it I donVknow, but the Avenue Road was quiet. (Laughter.) The high official!- remarked, '.Very • good ; you have helped us great!;. ; we will give you a turtle and helmet." (Laughter.) t A fine of 40s on one summons tnd 10s [on the other, with costs, was imposed. ; j