DRIVERS BEFORE COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20870, 12 May 1931, Page 12

DRIVERS BEFORE COURT.

CHARGES OF INTOXICATION. SALESMAN PLEADS ILLNESS. MAORI GARDENER FINED. "When accused was brought to the police station he was very, very drunk," said Constable llancox in the Police Court yesterday in giving evidence against Kenneth Douglas, aged £7, salesman, who pleaded not guilty to being intoxicated while in charge of a motor-car. Constable Stewart slated that at 2.10 a.m. on Sunday he saw accused seated at (he wheel of a motor-car which was standing across the footpath in Short StreetTwo wheels were on the path and two in the gutter When witness went toward the car it was backed in an erratic mariner. Accused smelt very strongly of liquor, said witness, and when he alighted from the car he staggered about tho road Witness then arrested him. Accused said he had been ill for about seven months. Some time before his arrest ho was very ill, and was given a glass of brandy by a friend, and he also had an injection of morphine. Accused admitted ho was not in a fit condition to drive a car, and said he would not have attempted to do so had he not wished to go to the all-night dispensary. The magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, remanded Douglas until Friday in order that further inquiries might bo made regarding Ins movements. Bail of £SO was renewed.

Charges of being intoxicated while in charge of a motor-truck and of driving without a licence were admitted by a Maori gardeuoi, Harry Renata, aged 21. Detective-Sergeant Kelly stated that on Saturday evening Constable Henry, of Ellerslic, went to Great, South Road, Penrose, in response to a telephones call. On arrival he saw accused, who was intoxicated, lying across the steering-wheel of ;i stationary motor-truck, which was on the wrong side of the road. When questioned by the constable accused admitted that he had been drinking, and that he had driven the truck.

Earlier in the evening, continued Mr. Kelly, accused had come under the notice of a motor-cyclist in Karangahapc Road. According to the cyclist accused drove the truck in a most erratic manner to I'enrose, and the police were subsequently notified. Renata was fined £lO and £1 3s 9d costs, in default one month's imprisonment. The magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt-, directed that no driver's licence should be issued to him for the next 12 months.