FURIOUS DRIVING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6176, 6 April 1907, Page 4

FURIOUS DRIVING

BREACH OF THE DEFENCE ACT. . PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, April 5. A somewhat unusual case came before Mr R. W. Dyer, 5.M.., in the Police Court to-day, when Janies Symons, a 'bins driver, was charged with furious driving •at Takaprma, and with committing a broach of the Defence Act. by disluibing a volunteer corps on parade. Defendant admitted the charges, but added that he could uofc help what he had done, a* it was in the interests of the safety of has passengers. Licut.-Coloncl Reed, officer commanding the troops in question, was o.illed ae a witness. He said there wo.? nothing to prevent Symons from driving on the metalled part of the road. The troops were on the soft cart of the road, and defendant drove through their ranks, causing great dansrer to life and Jimb. duces was riding in advance, and seeing the action of defendant he at onco called out to his men to stop him. Symons turned his horses, lashed out with his whip at the volunteers, crowded the Maxim gun almost into a hedge, broke through the ranks, and also endangered the ambulance corps. His Worship anid ho was quite satisfied this was a deliberate act. “I suppose you fellows think it rather clever to obstruct the troop?/' continued Mr Dyer, “but I think row will find your fun rather expensive/' For furious driving a fine of and 2Ss costs’ was imposed, while for the breach of the Defence Act defendant was ordered to pay 32s costs.