INTOXICATED IN MOTOR-CAR

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1929, Page 7

INTOXICATED IN MOTOR-CAR

MOTORIST ALLOWED PROBATION.

COLLISION ON SOUTH ROAD.

Pleading guilty to being intoxicated while in charge of a motor-car on the Main South Road on July 11, Charles William Erwood was admitted to probation for a year by Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., at the New Plymouth Court yesterday. A charge of causing bodily injury to James Baldock was withdrawn. The case arose out of an accident on the main road hear the junction of South Road and the Devon Line, as a result of which Erwood was arrested. According to the statement of the police Baldo*ck was knocked down by Erwood, who then drove on and met with an accident further on. For Erwood, Mr. R. H. Quilliam said he was a motor salesman who had been in no previous trouble, and on the day his business took him into several hotels. Unfortunately an unfair and inaccurate account of the incident had been published in one of the papers. It was difficult to see pedestrians on the night in question and there had been numerous similar accidents in which there was no suggestion of intoxication. Defendant had certainly had liquor and was hazy, but he had been in a car which had* turned a complete somersault and he was badly gashed in the head. This was partly the cause of his condition. He was a sober man and a small amount of drink affected him. He had given a guarantee of his future good behaviour by taking out a prohibition order against himself last week. Erwood was in a serious position, as he had a wife and children and he had lost his position, but his people were willing to help him as they realised this was an isolated occurrence. He was dependent upon liis motor for his Ihing, as he was a motor salesman.. Counsel hoped the court would be lenient with him as he had voluntarily given a Sign of rrood faith. The magistrate emphasised the serious nature of the offence and said he ■would make his own guarantee for Erwood’s behaviour by granting probation, but if he committed a breach of either prohibition or probation order he would be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. His business would be affected if he had to carry it on without going inside public houses, but that could not be helped. , Senior-Sergeant McCrorie . asked it there was to be no restriction on Elwood’s license. He was a danger to the public. . ._ Consideration of the license was difficult, Mr. Tate said, but since its suspension would spoil defendant s livelihood, he would leave the terms of piobation to meet the case.