INTOXICATED DRIVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20419, 22 November 1929, Page 16

INTOXICATED DRIVER.

ANOTHER NEWMARKET CASE.

TWENTY-FIVE POUNDS FINE.

NO LICENCE FOR TWO YEARS. / Another motorist who was arrested in Newmarket for being intoxicated in charge of a motor vehicle appeared in the Police Court yesterday, tho offender being Albert Joseph Churchos, aged 26. It was stated that, the offence was committed in Broadway, Newmarket, on November 13. Mr., Sullivan entered a plert of guilty. "Have I not had him here beforo?" asked the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, when the charge was read.

"Accused was fined £5 in 1927 tor being intoxicated while in charge of a motorcycle," replied Sub-Inspector McCarthy. He added that the circumstances of the case we is the same as those in the caso heard on the previous day. Accused and two other men remained too long in a Newmarket hotel and when they loft a constable saw them go to a truck which Churches was driving. Churches went to crank the engine and then got into the driver's seat. Tho constable saw that accused was too far gone to bo allowed to drive tho lorr.y,and a sergeant was of the same opinion. A doctor was called to the police station an'hour afterwards and reported that accused was in a state of intoxication. Steps were taken to see that none of the other men moved the lorry, as they were not fit to be in charge. Mr. fullivan urged that accused would Suffer a ; heavy punishment in the loss of his driving licence, which he realised must go, and which was necessary to him in his work as a carrier. This would mean that he had to start life all over again. The trouble arose through the fact that accused had to wait three hours before commencing a piece of work with his lorry and the temptation to commence to drink was tor. great when he met the other men. "In view of the fact that accused has not wasted the time of the Court by telling a story from the witness-box I ask for leniency," concluded Mr. Sullivan.

"Is it his own truck or is he a wage earner ?" asked the magistrate.

"He is working on 'wages; he is single, but has, to support an elderly relation," replied counsel. "It is a difficult, thing to apportion these fines when one is dealing with both wage-earners and men of means; it looks curious,/to fine one man £SO and another marr £25 for the same offence," observed Mr. Hunt. "Churches will be fined £25, his licence will be cancelled and he will be debarred from obtaining another for two years." In addition to the fine, accused was ordered to pay costs totalling 21s and ■was allowed one week to find the money. Default >vas fixed at two months' imprisonment.