SPEED OF LORRIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19699, 3 August 1938, Page 4

SPEED OF LORRIES

MARGIN OVER REGULATION CONTRACTOR'S SUAMISSION The claim that traffic inspectors in the Gisborne district had allowed a margin of five miles over the regulation 25 miles an hour for heavy traffic vehicles was the basis of a defence submitted in the Otahuhu Magistrate's Court on Monday by William Newcombe, a Gisborne carrying contractor. He was charged with exceeding the speed limit at Takanini on June 20, and Mr. Holmden, who represented him, said defendant had come specially from Gisborne to defend the case. An inspector of the Transport Department, Mr. Muggeridge, said he followed defendant's lorry and checked its speed at 36 miles an hour. It was a heavy traffic vehicle, for which the limit was 25 miles. He said he was unaware of any concession having been allowed by the department.

Defendant said his lorry was governed down to 30 miles. He understood that was allowed by the commissioner of transport, to whom representations had been made by the Carrying Contractors' Association of Gisborne.

"Was any acknowledgement received from the commissioner?" inquired the magistrate, Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt.

Defendant said he understood the local traffic inspectors had been so advised.

The magistrate said that representations had to be acknowledged and conceded before it could be taken for granted that any concession was allowed. In view of defendant having travelled so far to defend the case, he would reduce the fine to £1 and 10s costs.