TRAFFIC BREACHES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3807, 11 September 1936, Page 6

TRAFFIC BREACHES

PROSECUTIONS AT LOCAL COURT. CONVICTIONS FOR OVERLOADING. As is usual at local sittings of the Magistrate's Court, there were again several prosecutions for alleged traffic regulation breaches at Thursday’s sitting, before Mr F. H. Levien, S.M. The prosecutor was the Waikato County Council, per Inspector R. Metcalfe. The defendants were: Allan Burgess Carter, of Otorohanga, who was charged with exceeding the road classification on the Great South Road near Ohaupo on June 6th. Fred Parsons, Te Awamutu, had to answer two charges —exceeding the road classification and exceeding the licensed load, near Ohaupo on July Bth. Ernest Flexman, of Oparau, was charged with operating an unregistered motor cycle without having a driver's license on June 19th, near Ohaupo. , t New Plymouth Daily Freights, Auckland, also had the same two charges preferred against them, for alleged breaches near Ohaupo, on June 24th. Re Carter, Mr Preston defended. The inspector said the load was five tons 13 cwt, and was being carried about 40 miles over a fourth class road. Mr Preston admitted the facts, and said Carter was one of many carriers operating under through licenses. The authorities would not afford them the facilities to deal with the business offering. His Worship imposed a fine of £2 10s and costs 10s. Mr Preston also appeared for Parsons, and pleaded guilty. The inspector explained that Parsons was operating a six wheeler on a regular service between Auckland and Te Awamutu. He stopped the vehicle just after midnight and the actual weight recorded was 10 tons 2 cwt. i The vehicle was licensed to carry 9 J tons, but the road was only classified fourth class, with a limit of ti tons. Parsons’ practice was to bring the heavier loads to Hamilton, and then divide them to comply with the lighter load limits south ot Hamilton. Though for several miles south of Hamilton the road is surfaced, the road classification has not been altered. Parsons was perhaps under a misapprehension. Surfaced roads are usually classified third class, enabling vehicles to carry up to ten tons. The inspector added that only a little time previously he had weighed one of Parson’s lorries, and he thought the owner would have taken the hint not to risk overloading. On the night in question the vehicle's waybills showed a weight of 10 tons 6 cwt, so that his loadometer registered low, if anything. Counsel explained that a rush of goods for conveyance came forward at the last minute, and Parsons’ driver inadvertently overloaded, according to the waybills, but really some of the cement carried had been taken oft at Hamilton and the driver had not adjusted his waybills. Parsons had been running a regular and appreciated service since 1930, but had had difficulty in getting an adequate license. Actually he has lodged an appeal to the Minister against refusal ct a license for him in May, 1935. There were long and troublesome delays in settling matters. The S.M.: Couldn’t he have obtained a day permit for 2s 6d? Mr Preston said it may seem a simple procedure, but really such licenses are very difficult to get. His Worship remarked that he had recently seen some published statement that even where appeals are lodged carriers can still get permits for special trips. The fact had been mentioned in a court hearing at Pukekohe. Carriers should know what the regulations permit them to do, and what they are not permitted to do. He thought that provided an application for a license is lodged a temporary permit can be obtained for 2s 6d, available for a fortnight. The whole matter of road transport is very chaotic, and he was experiencing difficulty in distinguishing between the position created by which a pirate can become a legitimate carrier on payment of 2s 6d and the man who is a regular licensed carrier. Mr Preston remarked that his client had been a regular licensed carrier for several years. The trouble this time apparently arose because the sealed road between Hamilton and Ohaupo had not been re-classi-fied.

His Worship said all such newlysealed roads should remain for at least six months before re-classifica-tion, so that any deviation and fillings could consolidate. In the present case it appeared that Parsons had been overloading when there was no real need to. However, as he was not “ frequent offender, according to the prosecution, a fine of £3 for overloading and one of £2 10s for exceeding his license, would be imposed, with 10s costs, in each case. Flexman made no appearance, but wrote to the Court saying he had applied to the post office officials at Oparau and Te Awamutu about the issue of a license, and had been referred to the Hamilton office. Actually he was on his way to Hamilton to get ,a license when apprehended by the inspector. Inspector Metcalfe said he doubted that statement. If the re-registration card is not in a post office, one can easily be verified by having a shilling telegram sent to the office where the vehicle was registered, and a license would be issued at once. Flexman actually had a vehicle with old number plates and he had no driver’s license. Furthermore, he was en route to Waiuku from Oparau” not merely to Hamilton. A fine of £2 10s was imposed for having an unlicensed vehicle on the road, and one of £1 for operatine it without a driver’s license There was no appearance of the representative of New Plymouth Daily !• reights, and after Inspector Met- * detailed the facts fines of and £4 were imposed, with 10s eosts each. The evidence tendered showed that the loaded vehicle wa‘ weighed just north of Ohaupo, and ot°6) el t l i° Carry a maxi mum l 2 cwt ThJ t °? 1 , Weight was 7 tons 2 cwt. The vehicle was proceeding would h? d t after leavin 6 Hamilton ri°ght d t^S u rSlnS f ° urth