EFFECT OF DRINK ON DRIVING

Southland Times, Issue 23824, 23 May 1939, Page 7

EFFECT OF DRINK ON DRIVING

QUESTION FOR JURY IN SUPREME COURT CASE (United Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, May 22. Whether the cause of Eric John Ardem’s death in the New Plymouth hospital on February 26 was negligent driving by Joseph Herbert Ashman was a question set for the jury in the Supreme Court today. Ardem was a passenger in Ashman’s car when it ran off the road on the night of February 25 into the Waiongona river, at the entrance to the Inglewood borough. Counsel will address the Court tomorrow morning. At the request of the foreman, the jury was taken to view the scene of the accident this afternoon. The damaged car was also inspected. After describing the accident and reading two statements made by Ashman, the Crown Prosecutor, Mr R. H. Quilliam, said the jury would have to consider what effect liquor had had on the driving. A passenger in the car, Mrs Nainai, said that Ashman was perfectly sober and Dr A. L. Lomas, who smelt Ashman’s breath at the hospital, was unable to say whether the liquor he had had would affect his driving. It was pointed out that Ashman’s first statement said that the only drink he had had was before he left for Inglewood. In his second statement, however, he admitted having had two additional shandies that afternoon. A brother of Ashman who had visited Ardern’s house that night after the accident had found nine or ten empty beer bottles and three glasses. The Crown, concluded Mr Quilliam, could not prove that Ashman was drunk, but he had undoubtedly had liquor. Evidence was given by a surveyor who produced plans of the scene of the accident, by two persons who arrived soon after the accident, by Mrs Nainai, by Dr Lomas, by Ardern’s brother, Walter Clifford, and bv three constables.