INTOXICATED DRIVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20088, 27 October 1928, Page 16

INTOXICATED DRIVER.

COLLISION ON COUNTRY ROAD.

WARNING BY MAGISTRATE.

OFFENCE GETTING TOO COMMON. [ lIV TELEORAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] MORRINSVILLE, Friday. A Morrinsville farmer, Norman Clifford, pleaded guilty in the Morrinsville Magistrate's Court yesterday to a charge of intoxication while in charge of a car. Constable Keeps said the prosecution arose out. of a collision 011 September 27. Messrs. 11. Lock, senior and junior, wero driving into Morrinsville along the Mor-rinsville-Walton Road, when they noticed Clifford's car approaching in an erratic manner. Lock's car was immediately driven off the metal and stopped. However, Clifford's car left (110 road and crashed into the stationary vehicle, causing considerable damage. One of the occupants sustained injuries t.o the jaw. Witness went out and found Clifford in his car "as drunk as ho could be." "This is the seventh case of ils kind since I came to Morrinsville, and various fines, ranging from £5 to £2O, have been imposed in addition to cancellation of licences." said Mr. F. \V. Plaits, S.M. "II owever, these penalties do not seem to have had the effect desired and in future cases 1 intend to press for a term of imprisonment. The offence is getting too common here and should bo stamped out."

'The defence was that Clifford, who had driven cars for 20 years, had been unable to withstand tho effects of several glasses of rum taken to euro a cold, and that ho was less likely to meet trouble on country loads than on city thoroughfares. Agreeing with the police viewpoint, that a severe penalty was necessary to prevent an increase in this class of offence in the Morrinsville district, the magistrate imposed a fine of £2O and tho cancellation of accused's driving licence for two years. He intimated that if Clifford took out a prohibition order against himself the order for cancellation of his licence might bo cancelled at tho end of 12 months.