DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENCE

NZ Truth, Issue 1278, 29 May 1930, Page 2

DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENCE

Marine Under-Secretary Pleads Guilty To Being "Drunk In Charge"

CRASHES INTO TRAM SHELTER -SHED

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Wellington Representative.) Last Anzac Day Under-Secretary of Marine George Crosbie Godfrey was driving- a car~along Jervois Quay, Wellington, when he crashed into the tramway waiting shed m Post Office Square. A constable on point duty some distance away heard the crash, and found Godfrey attempting to back the car, out "of the debris and broken glass which previously had graced the vehicle. A few days ago, Godfrey was fined on two charges arisingout of the smash. ..

THE constable who had been attracted by the noise took Crosbie to the po*ice station, where he was seen by a number of police officers. They came to the conclusion that, he was- not m a fit condition to drive a car. A_fter 'being detained at the station for a. short while, he was allowed to go away with some friends. It was also discovered by the police that Godfrey was not m possession , of a driver's licence, and he admitted that he had not had .one this year. Last week m the Wellington Magistrate's Court two charges were preferred against Godfrey. The indictments were that he was drunk while m charge of a car, and that he was driving a car while not m possession of a driver's licence. Godfrey did not put m an appearance, but Mr. H. F. O'Leary was there to say what he could on behalf of the Marine Under-Secretary. . Sub-inspector Lopdell, who prosecuted, related to the court the circumstances of Godfrey's little accident. Mr. O'Leary said that he considered that had Godfrey not been driving a car his condition would not have warranted his being arrested. That the degree . of his intoxication was not yeryjj great was indicated by the fact that fee was allowed to leave

the police station within a very short period, added Mr. O'Leary. Godfrey, through his solicitor, pleaded guilty to Iboth charges. On the first count he .was fined' £20' and on the second — that of driving a car without a licence — he was fined £2, the costs m each case bein 10/-. Mr. Page also prohibited Godfrey from holding a driver's licence for twelve months.

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