INTOXICATED MOTORIST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23886, 14 August 1939, Page 4

INTOXICATED MOTORIST

A SECOND OFFENCE SALUTARY FINE IMPOSED A fine of £35 and cancellation of his driving licence for two years was the penalty imposed in the City Police Court on Saturday on Norman Trewby, who appeared before Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., and pleaded guilty to a charge of being intoxicated while in charge of a motor car. The accused was represented by Mr D. A. Solomon.

Outlining the charge, Senior Sergeant Claasen said that as the accused was driving along King Edward street about 11.30 on Friday night, he became involved in a collision with a tramcar at the corner of Wilkie road. The conductor of the tram noticed that he was under the influence of liquor, and when Constable Mitchell came along the accused was arrested and taken to the watchhouse. He was examined by the police surgeon, who certified him as unfit to drive, this opinion being confirmed by independent medical evidence summoned by the accused. The accused, who was a singe man, 37 years of age, was an insurance officer, and had previously

been convicted of a similar offence at New Plymouth in 1934. Mr Solomon said that the accused held a very responsible position,as the manager of a large insurance company in Dunedin, and he was already severely punished as a result of the serious position in , which he would find himself with his employers. He was by no means a heavy drinker, but as he was one of those people I whom even the smallest quantity of liquor affected, one or two drinks which he had had at a friend's place had gone to his head. The accident had occurred through his taking too wide a sweep as he turned out of Wilkie road into King Edward street, but it should be stressed that no one was injured and that the collision was only a minor one. The previous offence had been committed when the accused was an irresponsible clerk at New Plymouth, and it could not be considered as indicative of a habit of drinking too heavily. In the'circumstances, counsel asked the court to extend such leniency as was consistent with the ends of iustice. "It does not seem a bad case of its kind," observed Mr Dixon, " but it is with some hesitation that I refrain from imposing a term of imprisonment. When a man is driving a car, he should leave liquor alone." The accused was fined £35, his licence was cancelled, and he was prohibited from driving for two years.