INTOXICATED DRIVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20537, 11 April 1930, Page 13

INTOXICATED DRIVER.

WOMAN SEVERELY INJURED.

TE AROHA FARMER FINED £3O. CANCELLATION OF LICENCE. (by telegraph.— own- con respondent. ] TE AROHA, Thursday. A charge of intoxication wh'le driving a motor-car was preferred against Albert Hirst, a farmer, of Elstow, in the Magistrate's Court today before M>. F. W. PI a Its, S.M. Sci.ior-Sergeant Sweeney said Hirst was returning ' from the Paeroa races, when he ran over an elderly woman in tho main street, of Te Aroha about 7 p.m. on March 17. The woman was very seriously injured, and accused had failed to stop his car. He was chafed by another motorist, ami had latci been arrested for drunkenness. Robert Miller Taylor, cattle dealer, said that from a distance of ]soyds he saw a moving object struck by a car which was travelling fast. A bystander called out, "Go ahead and chase that car.'' Witness did so, but Hirst stopped shortly before he reached him. Witness said to Hirst., "I think you have killed someone. You had better corno back with me." Accused had replied to the effect that he knew nothing about an accident. Hirst was not sober and did not appear very much concerned about the collision. Hi 3 'wo malo companions were also under the influence of liquor. One of (he car lamps was bent back by tho force of the impact, and this appeared to concern Hirst more than the accident.

In evidence accused said he had driven a car for nine years and after a! drinkin Te Aroha early in the day he attended the Paeroa races, where he had five "pony" beers. He was a moderate drinker and knew when to stop. He returned to Te Aroha at 7 p.m. with three passengers who had decided to take tea at Te Aroha, and he followed a car. at a distance of three lengths over a narrow and winding road. He had no warning of the presence of a pedestrian on the road. He felt the impact of the collision and stopped voluntarily at the nearest convenient point. He was tested for drunkenness at the police station by a doctor, who told a constable that he "seemed quite all right." The magistrate said that accused had admitted consuming a good deal of drink during the day and one of his companions was undoubtedly drunk. He was satisfied that accused was intoxicated; although he might not have been absolutely drunk. He was under the influence of liquor to an extent sufficient to deprive him of prudence and judgmeut necessary for the driving of his car.

Accused was convicted and fined £3O and costs. His licence was cancelled for two vears.