INTOXICATED MOTORIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19806, 29 November 1927, Page 13

INTOXICATED MOTORIST.

DOCTOR'S SECOND OFFENCE. FINE AND LICENCE SUSPENDED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —CftVN CORRESPONDENT ] WELLINGTON. Monday. Intoxication while in charge of a motor car in Dufferin Street on Saturday evening was admitted by Joseph Patrick Hen nessey, medical practitioner, aged 47, who appeared before Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court this afternoon. Senior-Sergeant Lander, who prosecuted, said that at 9.25 o'clock, when a tramcar was being driven toward the city from Newtown the motor-man saw a motor-car coming in the opposite direction on the tram tracks. It was on the wrong side of tho road and although tho warning bell was rung several times, tho motorist seemed to take no notice. A collision occurred. The motor-car was extensively damaged and had to be towed away, and when the driver, Dr. Hennessy, got out it was seen that ho was under the influence of liquor. Two large bottles of beer were on the floor of tho car.

Earlier in the day, added the senior sergeant, the defendant came into collision with anottier tramcar in Adelaide Road, but there was no suggestion that he was intoxicated at that time. He had been previously convicted of a similar olfence at Auckland on September 12, 1925, when he was fined £25.

Counsel for accused said that Dr. Hennessy had contracted malaria m the East and should never take liquor. On Saturday evening he attended to patients from 7 o'clock until 8.30, and as he was not feeling well ho took a large dose of quinine and then two oi three stiff whiskeys. At 9.15 he was called out to a friend's house at Miramar and was asked to bring some liquor. He was all right when he got in the car, but the drinks must have affected him soon afterwards, as he had no clear recollection of how the collision occurred.

"This is a second offence," said the magistrate, "and it is doubtful whetner a monetary penalty is sufficient, i have decided, however, to impose a fine. Dr. Hennessy was fined £SO and costs and his licence was suspended until April 1, 1930. Default was fixed at three months' imprisonment.

BAKER BEFORE THE COURT. "LENIENCY NOT POSSIBLE." [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Monday. Charles Edward Bell, a baker, aged 49, admitted in the Magistrate's Court to-day that he was intoxicated while driving his motor-car at Kilbirnie on Saturday. The magistrate said that leniency could not be extended. Bell was fined £2O, in default three months' imprisonment, and his licence was suspended until March 31, 1929.