WOMAN MOTORIST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23320, 13 April 1939, Page 14

WOMAN MOTORIST

INTOXICATION CHAEGE ACOOSTED BY INSPECTOR DRIVING WITH ONE HAND FINE OF £2O IMPOSED "Apparently this lady is . not tit naturally to drive a motor-car and when she takes liquor it makes her worse," said Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., when Dorothy McCallum, domestic, aged 29, appeared in the Police Court yesterday charged with being in charge of a motor-car while in a state of intoxication ■in Mountain Road on April 11. Senior-Sergeant Calwell proBecuted and Mr. Moody appeared for accused, who pleaded guilty. Mf. Calwell said that at 7.45 p.m. the previous day Mr. J. Fj. Ainsworth, chief traffic inspector of the Transport Department in the Auckland district, was ' driving down Mountain Road near the Auckland Grammar School, when his attention was drawn to a car proceeding in the opposite direction. He had to stop his car and go on to the ; footpath to avoid the oncoming car, which was being driven on the wrong side of the road. /

An Injured Hand "The other car stopped and on investigating the traffic inspector found accused was the driver," added Mr. Calwell. "There was a strong odour of liquor and as he could see the w oman was intoxicated he brought her to the police station. At the police station she said she had received an injury to her hand* and had been driving with one hand. A male passenger in the car had to change the gears. Further examination revealed that she was under the influence of drink." Dr. Lamb was called at 8.35 p.m. and found accused was intoxicated, said Mr. Calwell. He certified she was not in a condition fit to be in charge of a motor-car. She had no previous conviction against her. Mr. Moody said accused was a married woman with one child and at tho time she was stopped she was going to a hospital to see a friend. She should not have been driving even if she had not been drinking, owing to an injury to her hand. She came of a good family and had never been in trouble before. The situation was a great shdck to her and counsel asked that a prison sentence be not inflicted, as 6he had her child living with her.

/. Cancellation of Licence The Rev. Jasper Calder said he had known the accused all her life. This was her first appefcance in Court and 6he was suffering very much. She had remained in custody all night and it was a great shock to one of her upbringing. Cancellation of her licence was desirable on account of neurosis alone, and Mr. Calder suggested cancellation of her licence for a lengthy term. Mr. Orr Walker: Wa6 it her father's car ? Mr. Moody: No, sir, it was a rental car. "Not only is she not fit to drive a car apparently, but she should refrain from taking liquor," said the macistrate. Accused was fined £2O and her licence was cancelled for three years. The magistrate refused an application by counsel for the suppression of her came. '

"A MILD CASE" DRIVER FINED £25 -COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE "Summing up the whole thine, and I am eiving him every benefit, I am compelled to come to the conclusion lie was slightly. under the influence of '-liquor at the time he was driving the car,'? said Mr. C. R. Orr S.M., when George Edwin Fox, aged 57, appeared in the Police Court yesterday charged with being in charge of a motor-car while in a state of intoxication in Ngapipi Road on April 1. Senior-Sergeant. Calucll prosecuted and Mr. Moody appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty. Robert Orr, a traffic officer of the Auckland City Council, said that at about 5.40 p.m. on April 1, while on patrol duty, he saw a motor-car travelling along the waterfront road at an excessive speed.

Witness said accused was the driver and his- breath, smelt very strongly of drink and his speech was thick. Witness was of the opinion accused v was not fit to be in charge of a car and took him to the police station. Dr. T. H. Pettit, who examined accused at 6.5 p.m. on April 1, said accused was not then drunk. The stage of intoxication was not by any means advanced. It was certainly a mild ease, but witness considered that from his condition accused's judgment would be influenced by the alcohol.

Mr,. Moody said the case was one of the weakest brought before tho Court. The fact that a man smelt of liquor •was one of the most unconvincing things that could be said in such cases. Accused's stagger was due to an injury 'he received to his foot some years ago.

Accused said he had had one bottle of beer before lunch and a gin and bitters after lunch. He had no other liquor, excepting a glass of beer with 'some friends shortly after 5 o'clock. "I have come to the conclusion that he was intoxicated while in -charge of the car, but not excessively so," said the magistrate. "It was a mild case, as the doctor savs. It is not a case for imprisonment. ' Accused was fined £25, with 10s ,costs. His licence was suspended for the balance of its term and no further licence is to be issued for a year.

LABOURER IN COURT , EARLY MORNING INCIDENT A plea of guilty to a charge of being ta charge of a motor-car while in a 6tate of intoxication in Ferguson Street, on April 7 was entered bv Reginald John White, labourer, aged 23, who appeared before Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. Senior-Sergeant Calwell prosecuted and Mr. Aekins appeared for accused. Mr."Calwell said that at 1.45 a.m. on April 7 a constable saw a motor-car stationed in Ferguson Street. He heard a sound of glass breaking and saw the car draw away from the kerb. He called out to the driver to stop, but the car went away. car eventually stopped in Airedale Street, and when a constable arrived accused was standing beside it. He said he had hired the car and ltad had two bottles of beer. He had had eome drink eairlier that day. i ' l ? s ,?cn six days in prison already, he has lost his position, and his licence will be affected; consequently I do not know if Your Worship is prepared to hold lie is suffieiAekms PUn already," said Mr. vJh- magistrate said that as accused had already s , pPn t a few days in pE lio did not. propose to inflict further iZT«r VHo "4 SPSS years. One month was allowed fi,» payment of the fine. aUtmea for