INTOXICATED MOTORIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20678, 25 September 1930, Page 14

INTOXICATED MOTORIST.

COLLISION WITH TAXI. FINE OF £lO IMPOSED. A charge of being intoxicated while driving a motor-car was admitted by Joseph Henry Stevens (Mr. Stedman) in tho Police Court yesterday. Tho magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, imposed a fine of £lO and ordered that tho accused's driving licence should bo cancelled for three months. Sub-Inspector Shanahan said that at about 2.55 a.m. on August 17 Stevens was driving along tho Great North Ivoad toward tho city. Ho was on his incorrect sido and collided with a taxi proceeding in tho opposito direction, the taxi running on to the grass at the side of the road in a vain effort to avoid an accident. The accused was considered by tho taxi-driver and others to bo in a state of intoxication, but when he called at tho Newton polico station at about 4 a.m. ho appeared to bo sober.

Counsel said his client admitted tho facts as related by the police. He acknowledged having had some drinks earlier in tho evening, but there was no doubt that, ho was more "sleepy" than intoxicated when the accident occurred. He was of a rather highly strung temperament and this may have caused him to appear more under tho influence of liquor than he really was. Ono favourable feature was that ho made no effort to avoid detection and reported to the Newton police, although ho had no witnesses to state what, his condition was at tho time of the collision. Ho had a good record in tho past and had been in his present employment for ten years. He was going to pay tho cost of tho damage to the taxi, estimated at £45, and it was submitted thaL lie had been punished enough. Tho magistrate said he would take into consideration tho fact that the accused had agreed to make good tho damage and would impose a fine of only £lO. On a further charge of failing to keep to tho left of tho road Stevens was convicted and discharged. An application for the suppression of his name was refused.