NOISY MOTOR-CYCLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19470, 28 October 1926, Page 12

NOISY MOTOR-CYCLE.

PROSECUTION AT HAMILTON. COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT. 1 HAMILTON, "Wednesday. During the last year complaints have been received by the police concerning the conduct of youths in riding motor-cycles along Road past the Waikato Hospital with the cut-outs on the engines open. As a warning to motor-cyclists a youth, Ralph William Picard (Mr. A. E Meldrum), was charged in the Hamilton Magistrate's Court to-day with riding a motor-cycle without a proper and efficient silencer attached. The case was defended. Evidence was given by D. Seymour, solicitor, and Sergeant W. Cooper that defendant was seen riding on the road with his cat-out open. He was making a noise that could be heard a considerable distance away. Defendant denied that the cut-out was inefficient and said that it was not his machine that made the noise. He called four youths to support his statements. The magistrate, Mr. Wyveru Wilson, said motor-cycles with open cut-outs were a shocking "nuisance, especially in the vicinity of the hospital. The worst feature of the case' was that defendant had not told the truth iu the witness-box, and had got his mates to come and support his untrue statements. They, however, had contradicted him. Mr. Seymour's action in giving evidence was most commendable, for defendant's conduct had been scandalous. The Court had repeatedly issued warnings concerning the use of inefficient silencers on motorcycles, and the practice had to be stopped. If defendant had admitted his wrongdoing the penalty would not have been so severe. Defendant was fined £5 and was ordered to pay £1 7s costs.