MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Southland Times, Issue 24575, 25 October 1941, Page 4

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

FRIDAY (Before Mr R. C. Abernethy, S.M.) George Edward Aitken, farmer of Ferndale (Mr J. C. Prain), was convicted on a charge of being intoxicated while in charge of a motor-car. He was fined £l5, plus doctor’s expenses £l/12/6. His licence was cancelled and he was prohibited from holding another for 12 months. The accused pleaded not guilty. Traffic Inspectox - J. A. Arthur said that on October 18 at Waikiwi he had seen a car - being driven in a wandering manner from the centre of the road to the gravel on the correct side of the road. He had followed the car for a quarter of a mile before stopping it. When the accused was questioned he gesticu-' lated queerly and was unsteady on his feet. When asked to close his eyes and stand still the accused could not keep his eyes closed. Dr W. J. Barclay said he had examined the accused at the police station. He had come to the conclusion that he was not unfit to drive. Traffic Inspectox - C. C. Forno gave evidence that he had seen the accused driving at Waikiwi. He corroborated Inspectox - Arthur’s evidence. The accused also gave evidence. The Magistrate said he had no doubt the accused had been intoxicated. He did not accept the accused’s story and accepted that of the inspectors. SURVEYOR FINED Thomas Ramsay Burt, surveyor, Invercargill (Mx - R. T. Meredith) was convicted on a similar charge for an | offence committed on Thursday. He pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant W. Kelly said Traffic Inspectox- E. Stopford had seen the accused on Thursday afternoon walking unsteadily in the street. Half an hour later he saw a car backed out to the middle of Dee street in an erratic manner. He stopped the car and saw that the accused was the driver. He was latex - examined by a doctor and certified unfit to drive. He had. been convicted and discharged for a similar offence in 1929 in Gisborne. Mr Meredith said that on Thursday the accused had had no food after breakfast up to 2 o’clock, when he drank some liquor with a client. This had affected him more than it would otherwise. His previous offence had not been a serious one.

The accused was convicted and fined £lO plus doctor’s expenses 12/6. His licence was cancelled and he was prohibited from holding another for 12 months.