POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15753, 30 October 1914, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

MOTORISTS SUMMONED.

SPEED LIMIT CRITICISED.

Charges of exceeding the speed limit along the -uanukau Road were preferred against several motorists in the Police Court yesterday. The Epsom Road Board by-laws limit the speed to 16 miles an hour. A constable with a stop watch timed several cars over a measured quarter of a mile, with the result that Wesley N'eal Spragg was charged with going at a speed of 35 miles an hour. The speed alleged against Frederick Charles Harrison was 29 miles an hour, while Albert Thomas Prosser and Sydney A. Longuet were each said to have travelled at 22 miles an hour.

Mr. A. S. Brown, who appeared for all the defendants, pleaded not guilty on behalf of his clients. He contended that there was an insufficient number of sign posts erected in the district indicating what the speed limit was. A stranger to the district would not know that he was limited to 16 miles an hour. Counsel further maintained that a speed limit of 16 miles an hour for the whole district was quite unreasonable, and he called several expert, private and professional motor-car drivers as witnesses in support of his contention. They said that 25 miles an hour would be quite safe as a maximum speed for the district. "If the Road Board is to restrict the speed of motors, it should do it intelligently,'' concluded counsel. "To say that in no place throughout the whole district and at no lime a car is to exceed a pace of 16 i miles an hour is absurd. Such a by-law 'is condemned by every practical motorist."

The prosecution was unable to produce £ evidence to show that the Manukau Road was under the jurisdiction of the Epsom , Road Board. According to the Road J Board's original constitution this road is , outside its authority. The board's solici- ' tors will, however, make inquiries as to when control of the road was vested in the Epsom Road Board. ' In the meantime Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., said that he would consider his , decision. Tbo case was an important one to motorists and the public, and would ! not be met with a hasty decision. Of \ course if the Re ' Board could not prove its control over tb" road the prosecution , would have to b- dismissed. The case '. was adjourned until next Tuesday week. , - i NO WORK TO BE HAD. i Stating that he was a sanitary moulder ' by trade, but unable to obtain any em- . ployment, Frederick Burgess, a recent ar- j . rival in this country, admitted a charge ( jof vagrancy. He had, said the police, , been knocking about the town for the , l last six weeks, doing no work and sleep- , I ins out. Burgess, who had no money , I upon him when arrested, was remanded iin custody for a week. This, said the : i magistrate, would give him the chance j lof being fed and cleaned and efforts would . jbo made in the meantime to find work ! for him. there being nothing criminal in , his career. "BEWARE OF THE ENGINE." " There rs one thing about it, they did not smash him up first and prosecute him afterwards," commented His Worship, ' when Edwin Kisby admitted having failed to slow down when crossing the , King Street railway crossing on His motor - j tricycle, and having effected the crossing witn an engine within half a mile. An ap- ! proaching train, which whistled twice was j not noticed by the defendant and had it not slowed down there would have been an accident. His Worship advised the defendant next time to stop dead before crossing, have a good look uo and down the line, and then, if all was clear, hurry across as quickly as possible. A fine of 10s and 7s costs was imposed. BY-LAW BREACHES. Frederick John Hollis, who drove across the intersection of Queen and Victoria Streets at a greater speed than a walking pace, was fined 5s and 7s costs, His Worship intimating that in future the fine for driving too quickly round this corner would be 10s, the public having had plenty of warning. Hiving cycled on the footpath of Arney Road, Percy Scott was fined 10s and 7s costs. For riding an unlit bicycle after sunset in Upper Queen Street, Roy Spinley was fined the same amount. Frank C. Brookbanks left his vehicle standing in Daiby Street for about an hour and a-half while he went round with his samples. Certain streets are about to be set apart by the City Council for the purpose of leaving vehicles in, but, pointed out Mr. Frazer, a narrow street j like Darbv Street would not be one of these, neither would a vehicle be allowed to stand unattended for more than an , hour. A fine of 5s and 7s costs was imposed. UNSATISFIED WIVES. Two young men, Charles Bell and Heme Whata Kaharaia, charged with having i failed to make adequate provision for the 1 maintenance of their wives, were each ' remanded to appear at Otaki in a week's time. Bail was allowed in each case in ' one surety of £100 or in two of £50 , each. On their previous appearance bei fore the Court each defendant had made ' an offer to pay certain sums, but tele- ' grams were received from the wives inti- ; mating that they were not prepared to , accept these sums. His Worship said that , he had. therefore, no alternative but to ' grant the remand asked for.

INTEMPERANCE. Over-indulgence in liquor resulted in five first offenders being fined 5s each, a sixth offender having to pav 2s 6d cab fare, in addition to the 5s fine. William Betts, convicted of his second recent offence, agreed to bo prohibited, and was discharged without further penalty. Edward McMahon was fined £1 for his third offence, and was also prohibited, the alternative to the fine Ixmitr fixed at three davs' imprisonment with hard labour. Admitting that he had bren drunk whilst in charge of a horse and unlit cart, John Calvert was fined £1, or three days' hard libour.