DRUNKEN CAR DRIVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18710, 16 May 1924, Page 9

DRUNKEN CAR DRIVER.

DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. MAGISTRATE'S STERN * DECISION. BY TELEGRAPH. ASSOCIATION. ] CHBISTCHURCH. Thursday. A licensed . taxi-driver, , Thomas John Anderson, appeared' before Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., this morning on charges of being drunk while, in. charge of a motor-car, and with driving a motor-car along Colombo Street in a manner dangerous to the public. 1;' ifit.,£A'il,. i o, A grocer employed by Frank A. Cook, Thomas Penman, said that shortly before 6 o'clock last .evening he jumped on. his bicycle outside the premises ;'where' he was employed, % but * had not gone' more than a few yards when a motor-car came up behind him and ran over him. 7, He"was not more than a yard from the footpath. The driver of the car did not sound his horn and \ seemed to be asleep when he struck, witness. Witness luckily was not hurt, though his cycle was badly damaged. He got up and, went for a policeman, who got another driver to take the accused's car to . the police station* This driver had to assist' tiie policeman to carry the accused into the station. .

The i< magistrate * said /the, accident .was undoubtedly caused by 3 the- drunkenness of the man in charge of 'the car. Being drunk - while 'in charge of a 7 motor-car was one of- the most serious offences that could be committed. Under'section. 30 ; of' the Public Offences Act the I penalties, which ' could be * imposed were .; a fine of £10 or imprisonment not exceeding three, months. ■ A. more dangerous set *of cir- ' cumstances than; those in the present case ' he could-hardly imagine, and he .did? riot intend to deal'lightly with ' the matter. He hoped the accusedV licenser would be tfeken away from him: in spite of the fact that he had a;, fairly ,; good record over 20 . years. A man addicted jio "': drink was not fit to drive a motor-car. He was en- ; dangering life and limb..'- - \ •"•-•'■'' >' Accused , was, sentenced to one 1 month's ' imprisonment with hard '* labour. .