PROSECUTIONS AT WAITARA

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1930, Page 13

PROSECUTIONS AT WAITARA

' MANY TRAFFIC CASES HEARD. RUGBY GAME EXCITES MAORI. Several traffic by-law infringements were dealt with by Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., in the Waitara Court yesterday. Roy Da th' was charged with having driven a motor-car in ■ Queen Street on July 17 in a. manner dangerous' to the public and with having used obscene language when approached. Patu pleaded guilty on both charges. Constable. Lapouple stated that July 17 was the day of a Maori Rugby match 'in Waitara. The complainant, the Rev. Hadfield, was driving on to Queen Street with Patu’s car behind and another car in front. Patu tooted impatiently and cut in front immediately upon entering Queen Street, tearing olf the carrier of the . clergyman’s ear. ■ Complainant followed Patu to the Waitara Hotel and approached him about the incident. It was then that the language was ur,ed. Constable Lapouple found Patii in the bar and, though he v' s not under the influence of liquor, the excitement of the football match and the liquor were responsible for the incidents. The magistrate warned Patu that to touch liquor when in. charge of a car was 'a: dangerous thing and was liable to heavy punishment. The language charge w.as a grave pne. Patu was convicted and ordered to pay costs 20s on the first ’ charge with a suspension of his license lor a year. He elected to be dealt with summarily on the language charge and was fined £5 with cost 10s. . .The county inspector, Mr. G. F. Rowe, laid an information against Mcrvyn Qibbs to the effect that Gibbs drove a motor vehicle which was not equipped' with two independent and efficient: brakes in proper Working order at .Motunui on April 17.' Defendant was fined £2 with costs £l_llsi NOT PROPERLY REGISTERED. W. C. Bransgrove was charged by ’Mr.- G. F. Rowe, county inspector, with ridiiio- a motor-cycle without a head light after the statutory lighting time. Defendant pleaded guilty by letter and promised’ to take more care; in the future. He was fined £l, with costs £1 Os 6d. The county inspector also proceeded against F. j. Bovett on charges that he had ridden a motor-cycle without a license on June 23 at Urenui; that he had used the cycle for a period of more than seven days without having the change of ownership endorsed; and that the cycle had not been properly licensed. The inspector stated he had seen defendant, in Urenui and he had jumped upon his cycle and proceeded down the hill as soon: as he saw witness. The inspector followed and found tlie cycle in a paddock. He waited from 1 p.m. to 4.30 before Bovett put in an appearance and claimed the machine. Defendant said he had had it for about two months.

Defendant pleaded guilty on the first two charges and was convicted and discharged on each. He pleaded not guilty oil the third. There had been, he said, some difficulty in getting ownership transferred to himself from the previous owner through a motor firm in New Plymouth.' He had not attempted to go* his license owing .to the inconvenience entailed in making the long journey over mud roads. The magistrate drew attention to the fact that had Bovett injured anyone while riding a , machine not properly registered the injured persons would riot have had the advantage-of the statutory insurance. Defendant was fined £5 with costs £1 13s on the last charge. Hugh Andrews was fined £1 5s (costs £1 2s Cd) for speeding in the town on information laid,by the,, borough inspector,. Mr.: L. T. Kendrick. It was stated that defendant had caused a sensation by crossing the bridge at about 35 or 40-miles an hour. When halted by the inspector his car, left ski,d marks about 35ft. in length and the grinding of his brakes:idrpw residents and tradespeople to the, street.. Defendant held that his speed .was over-estimated but pleaded guilty to exceeding the speed limit. At the instance of the Clifton County Council, represented by Mr. Pritchard. Isaac Johnson was charged with operating a motor-lorry upon the unmetalled portion of the Okau Road on June 15 during the prohibited period. The charge was laid under the heavy traffic regulations of 1925 on which the by-law was based.

Mr. R. H. Quilliam, who appeared for defendant, submitted that the county’s by-law was ineffective as it was based un regulations superseded by 'those of 1927.'

The case was adjourned to enable the magistrate to go into the matter. The decision will be given in New Plymouth in a tew days.

Judgment by default was given in the following undefended civil cases: — H. I. Chittenden v. R. L. Paul, £9 2s 2d (costs £1 10s 6<1); Clifton County Council v. Reginald M. J. Vautier. £59 12s 4d (£4 8s (id); R. E. Caldwell v. William Wiltshire. £l7 6s fid (£2 16s). Karo Wetere, who did not appear and forwarded no excuse, was ordered to pay W. D. Winstanley £7 .Is 4d with costs 15s fid forthwith, in default seven days’ imprisonment. Oke Taylor, who did not appear, was ordered to pay Stead and Pritchard £3 4s gd forthwith, in default three days’ imprisonment.