POLICE COURT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1926, Page 9

POLICE COURT NEWS

CHARGES IN NEW PLYMOUTH. DEMONSTRATING CAR MISUSED. Vernon Simpson, a motor-car salesman, pleaded guilty in the New Plymouth Police Court yesterday to using ;> demonstration car for private work without having registered it. The offence took place on December 5. The defendant stated that he was not using the car for demonstration purposes at the time, but was merely taking prospective customers back to their home. He was under the impression that as a salesman he was entitled to use the car in which he regularly demonstrated. Since he had had a dis cussion with the senior-sergeant with reference to the matter, the car had been registered. The defendant was fined 20a (costs 17s). For breaches of the Defence Act, In failing to attend drill, Horace Russell was fined 20a (costs 7s); Edwin Jury was convicted and ordered to pay costs, 7s; and William Brosnqn was fined 20s (costs 7s). Informations against F, W. Harrison and H. J. Smellie were adjourned for three months. For disobedience of a maintenance order for 30s per week, and £2O on account of past maintenance, under an order made on October 20, Bertie Albert Martin was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended so long as the defendant pays £l5 within seven days and the balance by January 20. Costa (£1 la) were allowed complainant’a solicitor. Two summary charges against Harris Leonard Spence, adjourned from August last, were, on the application of Detective Meiklejohn, withdrawn. George Levick Robertson, a blacksmith in business at Frankton Junction, was charged with driving a car in Gill Street at a greater speed than 20 miles an hour, and with turning a corner at a greater speed than six miles an hour. The defendant, who did not appear, wrote pleading guilty to both charges. He explained that he had no intention of turning the corner into Eliot Street from Gill Street, but owing to another car being in his way he had to turn sharply. He admitted having negotiated the corner at a speed of about 18 miles an hour. Constable Hadler stated that he witnessed the incident and estimated the speed of defendant’s ear at 25 miles an hour. There were marks on the road el the car having skidded considerably. The defendant was fined 40e, with costs and expenses amounting to £1 Bs.