TRAFFIC BREACHES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4171, 11 August 1939, Page 4

TRAFFIC BREACHES

ANOTHER BATCH OF PROSECUTIONS. FINES IMPOSED FOR VARIED OFFENCES. Rarely does a month go by at Te Awamutu sitting of the Magistrate’s Court without some motorists being prosecuted for one or other of the many offences that motorists are liable to commit—wittingly or unwittingly. At the local Court yesterday Transport Department inspectors were able to prove air their cases to the satisfaction of the magistrate, and thus gained convictions. A. E. Wilson (for whom Mr S. S. Preston entered a plea of guilty) was charged with overloading a lorry on 11th July near Kihikihi. Inspector F. C. J. Cook said he stopped the vehicle at about 4 p.m. on the date mentioned in the charge, and found it exceeded by 17 cwt. the limit on a class 4 road. Counsel said the lorry was engaged on cartage work for the Public Works Department, and it was understood that the Department allowed its contracted vehicles to carry three cubic yards of metal per trip. A permit, however, was necessary for this, and Wilson, who owned a considerable fleet of vehicles, had overlooked the formality. Inspector Cook remarked that this was not the first occasion that Wilson had offended similarly. A fine of £1 was imposed, with costs.

John Fitzgerald was another defendant, on a charge of parking his car over a fire-plug in the street on 2nd June. Inspector Cook said that at 1.55 p.m. he saW the car parked over the fire-plug, and warned defendant to shift the vehicle promptly. His Worship decided to merely order Fitzgerald to pay the costs of the prosecution. Inspector C. H. Treadgold charged Theo. P. Langmuir with driving a car in a manner dangerous to public safety oh the State Highway on 13th May. A plea of not guilty was entered. After hearing statements by both parties His Worship intimated that he was fining defendant £5 and costs, and added that he would not believe him.

Rochfort J. Larsen was also prosecuted by Inspector Treadgold, who said he met Larsen’s car at 4.40 p.m. travelling on the wrong side of the road near the Tokanui Cross-roads- It was being driven very fast, and took the right-hand bends only by cutting right in close to the bank. The inspector had to travel several miles to overtake Larsen, who had been returning south after attending races at Hamilton. A fine of £5, with costs, Was imposed, His Worship remarking that it was dangerous to cut corners, particularly at a high rate of speed. Inspector Treadgold next prosecuted Walter Cox with having no driver’s license and with conducting an unlicensed passenger service on 24th June.

The inspector said the offences occurred on the day of the races at Te Awamutu. He, with other officers, had been on duty assisting to control the large rush of traffic, when he saw Cox receiving money from passengers he had brought from Paeroa. Cox admitted that he had charged each person 6s for the trip. It was a type of offence that the Transport Department found very difficult to detect. The defendant had, by charging fares, risked his insurance if there had been an accident. The magistrate said there were other consequences, and added that it was quite a common thing for tarowners to take people on trips and collect a «fee, which was contrary to the regulations. A fine of £3, with costs, on one charge, and £l, with costs, on the second charge, might help to put a stop to the practice. Inspector H. G. Perrow proceeded against W. S. Earwaker on charges of failing to produce a driver’s license and of using a motor trailer with no license. The offences occurred in Mahoe Street. Defendant said he had just come in to get his trailer licensed; it had had to be repaired at a garage in Mahoe Street. Actually he had overlooked the final date for renewing licenses-

The inspector reminded the .Court that Earwaker had had ample time to renew his license. A fine of £1 and costs 10s was the penalty of neglect.