DRUNKEN MOTORISTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 12

DRUNKEN MOTORISTS

WEEK-END ARRESTS MONETARY PENALTIES IMPOSED Two motorists, both charged with being intoxicated in charge of cars, appeared before the City Police Court yesterday, the justices on the bench (Messrs S. Owen and H. E. Barth), cancelling the licences for 12 months, and imposing a fine of £lO in each case. Holiday Tour Cut Short Lawrence James Smith, aged 21, who on Saturday afternoon set off with a friend on a holiday tour of the Southern Lakes district, but drove his car into a ditch on Mt. Cargill, pleaded guilty to being drunk while in charge of a car. Outlining the facts, Sergeant Lean told the court that in response to a telephone message the police went to where the accident had occurred, and found the accused under the influence of liquor. He was taken to the Police Station, where Dr Borrie certified him as unfit to drive. Eighteen bottles of beer were found in the car, and subsequent inquiries disclosed that the defendant before leaving on the trip had had drinks in several hotels. "He is now feeling very sorry for himself," Sergeant Lean added. Replying to a request by the accused tljat; if his licence were suspended he should be allowed to drive to and from work each morning, Mr 'Owen reminded him that his offence was now looked on in a very serious light. ADparently he did not realise the seriousness of it, and there was no possibility of his application being entertained. He would be fined £lO, with expenses £2 12s). his licence would be cancelled, and he would be orohibited from driving for 12 months. " A Dizzy Turn " Charles Albert Black, 34 years of age, whose excuse for his lapse was that he was to dizzy turns and suddenly felt faint, pleaded guilty to a similar offence. Sergeant Lean explained that shortly before 5 p.m. on Saturday, the accused was seen driving along Princes street in a very erratic manner in a rental car, which he had hired that morning. When he returned to.the garage, the manager took the key from him and the police were summoned, a subseauent medical examination at the Police Station revealing that he was too far under the influence of liauor to drive, a car. The accused.- in his statement to the Bench, said that a minute before he arrived at the garage, he felt all right, but he suddenly felt faint. " I am subject to dizzy turns," he explained. A fine of £lO was imoosed. with medical expenses (£1 Is), the accused's licence was cancelled, and he was nrohibited from driving for 12 months. FINE OF £25 IMPOSED (Per United Press Association) HOKITIKA, Dec. 24. Charged with intoxication while in charge of a motor car last evening, Charles Ernest Appleton was fined £25 and his licence was cancelled until May 31 next. COLLISION ON BRIDGE FINE AND LICENCE CANCELLED (Per United Press Association) ASHBURTON, Dec. 24. John Foster Johnston, a labourer of Tinwald, was fined £25 and had his licence cancelled for 18 months on a charge of being intoxicated in charge of a car. The defendant drove into another vehicle on a traffic bridge late yesterday evening.