SIXTY MILES PER HOUR

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12549, 11 September 1926, Page 4

SIXTY MILES PER HOUR

ALLEGATIONS BY POLICE DRUNK IN CHARGE OF VAN BUTCHER FINED AND LICENSE SUSPENDED Allegations that he was travelling at a speed of in the vicinity of sixty miles au hour were made by the police yesterday, when William Wolland, a butcher, was charged with being in charge of a motor-van on the Hutt road while in a state of intoxication. Sub-Inspector Hrirvey remarked that the accused was seen at 7 p.m. on August 17th driving at a speed which the constable estimated as being in the vicinity of 60 miles per hour. He smashed into a motor-car standing at the side of the road, and his van overturned. “NOT DRUNK, BUT FOOLHARDY” “To say that the defendant was driving the van at 60 miles an hour is of course pure imagination,” submitted Mr C. A. L. Treadwell (for defendant). In actual fact the van was being driven at about 40 miles an hour, which, though it constituted dangerous driving, was vastly removed from the speed stated by the constable to have been sixty miles per hour. The van had been damaged to the extent of £llO, as it had finally crashed into a post being badly smashed about. “Under these circumstances,” submitted Mr Treadwell, “I ask that consideration be given to the fact that it has proved a very costly action to the defendant already.” Defendant was not drunk, said Mr Treadwell, but was sufficiently under the influence to be foolhardy. In imposing a fine of £25 and cancelling the defendant’s license for three years, His Worship remarked that he could not allow Woolland to retain his license, and he had been previously convicted of dangerous driving.