THE potency OF FIZZ

NZ Truth, Issue 1249, 7 November 1929, Page 2

THE potency OF FIZZ

They Were Only Playing Leap Frog, So Car Joined In SMASH AFTER CHAMPAGNE (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) Champagne— lots of it; cigars; then leap frog over some chairs, followed by a wild, erratic drive m a motor-car that subsequently capsized on the Great South Road were the elements that made up the cause of the appearance m court of a young man, Matthew William Frederick Beechey, an English Public School boy.

"nEECHEY.aiged 25, a salesman, made JD his appearance m the Otahuhu Police Court, before Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., to answer charges of being intoxicated m charge of a motorcar and with dangerous driving. The 'tale that was told was that Beechey had- gone to Drury to sell a motor,- car. His 'account of the trip did not impress the Magistrate, who disbelieved his story. His Worship thought there had been an air of looseness and intemperance about the whole thing* When Beechey. and his compan- | ions, another man and two women, | arrived at the Drury Hotel they were served v..with drinks. As an indication of the amount of liquor they must have taken, it was stated that the party soon began to play leapfrog over the chairs. One of the women, it would appear, had champagne, while' another smoked a cigar. This was said to have caused her to become ill on the journey back to Auckland. . / The 'erratic course, of the car was noticed by. a service car driver; but it was not possible to say whether it was the fault ■• of the driver or the fault of ■ someone m the car interfering with the steering-wheel. While trying to pass a motor bus, .the car .capsized,-, and Beechey and one of the women were "hurt; When being treated at the hospital the doctor was certain they had; been drinking. In pleading for his client, Mr. Burton said Beechey had come to New Zealand under the Taranaki Chamber lof Commerce scheme for the settleI merit of English public sbhool boys. . Beechey found himself ,unsuited to farming, and had turned his hand- to becoming a salesman. He had lost his position and was now practically destitute. , The defence had been paid for by, a

well-known Auckland .business man, who had found a position for Beechey driving a baker's motor- van. The Magistrate said that men who drank liquor knew the risks they ran if they drove their cars. The offence was becoming notoriously frequent. Beechey was, fined £10 with . costs £7/»10/- for being intoxicated- m charge of the car, and convicted and discharged for dangerous driving. His license was cancelled for one year.