TEST FOR SOBRIETY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21326, 29 October 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

TEST FOR SOBRIETY

HANDWRITING EXAMINED Handwriting as a test for drunkenness ■was mentioned .at Bromley, England, when Leonard Arthur Cramp, aged 45, taxi-cab driver, was charged with being under the influence of drink while driving his cab, and also with driving in a dangerous manner. It was stated that Cramp was taken into custody after a slight collision between his cab and a private car. A doctor, who examined him at the police-station, declared that in his opinion the .man was not fit to have charge of a car at that time. He asked Cramp to write his name and address and a short sentence on a piece of paper. The sentence he wrote was: " Dear Sir, —The weather has been very bad to-day." Later lie saw specimens of Cramp's normal handwriting, which were extremely good. Cramp, giving evidence, explained that he was one of the old band of " horse cabbies," but had driven a taxicab for the last few years. He had had a clean record for 30 years. The Bench inflicted a penalty of £5, and ordered Cramp to pay £4 14s 6d costs, the chairman, remarking that his licence was automatically suspended. The summons for dangerous driving was dismissed.