MOTORISTS BEFORE COURT

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1930, Page 15

MOTORISTS BEFORE COURT

BREACHES OF REGULATIONS CHARGES AT NEW PLYMOUTH. MANY ARISE FROM COLLISIONS. Prosecutions of motorists for offences against the regulations occupied the attention of Mr. R. IV. Tate, S.M., in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Holding that there was insufficient evidence, the magistrate dismissed a charge of dangerous driving brought by the police against. S. E. Nielson (Mr. L. M. Moss). The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge that on November 13, in Devon Street near the Currie Street intersection, he had been responsible for an accident in which he knocked a motor-cyclist, Jans Carl Jensen, off his cycle. The motor-cyclist-in evidence stated that he had turned the corner from Currie Street in second gear and was struck in the rear by defendant’s car when he was about 20 yards up the hill. He had noticed the car approaching. Constable Stanton said that he was attracted by the'sound of the crash and was on the scene of the accident shortly after it happened. Nielson stated at the time that the cyclist should have given way to him. In evidence Nielson said he had intended to stop near the scene of the accident. He had sounded his horn and looked to both sides of the intersection before crossing. He disputed the constable’s statement that the motor-cycle had been pushed 22 feet. When ho saw that a collision could not be averted he had declutched and applied his brakes. The magistrate said he was not prepared to convict upon the evidence brought by the police and accordingly dismissed the charge. “A TRIVIAL BREACH.” The magistrate agreed to dismiss as trivial a charge of cutting the corner from Carrington Road into Ppndarves Street brought against Margaret G. Mansfield. The defendant was ordered to pay costs. The prosecution arose out of a collision on October 30 between the defendant’s car and a motor-cycle ridden by Richard Burrows, who was riding up Carrington Road. Evidence was given by Burrows, who estimated his own speed at 15 miles an hour, and that of Mrs. Mansfield at 20 miles per hour. He was of opinion that Mrs. Mansfield did not signal. Constable Shirley submitted a sketch plan of the locality, made after - the accident. . . . Mr. R. H. Quilliam said it was admitted that Mrs. Mansfield had not made a proper and regulation turning. That was a highly technical breach. The police also admitted that it was not necessary to make a proper turning. It was also provable that .-his client had signalled and made a careful turning. He submitted that the motor-cycle had been speeding and aslied the magistrate to dismiss the charge as trivial as he held that the technical breach had not been responsible for the accident. - ' CANCELLATION OF LICENSE. A . motor-cyclist, Claude Ellis, who pleaded guilty to a charge of riding a ■ motor-cycle in a dangerous manner, was fined £2 (costs 10s). His license was cancelled and he was disqualified from holding another license for 12 months. The magistrate reminded the defendant

that he had previously warned him of the effects' of a second offence. The ? senior-sergeant stated that there had been a lot of traffic on the road when defendant crossed an intersection at an excessive speed. The defendant had been previously fined 10s for a similar offence. S. G. Farquhar pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a motor-car in a manner dangerous tp the public. He was fined £1 with costs and witnesses’ expenses amounting to £4 4s. He was

given time in which to pay. No notice had been given of his intention to plead guilty and witnesses were brought from Inglewood, Eltham and Kaponga. - The senior-sergeant said that the defendant’s car and. another vehicle had collided on a bridge near Inglewood. The other car involved had the right of way, but defendant did not give way and caused a collision which seriously damaged both cars. For failing, to keep to the left side of Devon Street when riding his motorcycle at Fitzroy on October 8 Kenneth B. Martin was convicted and ordered to pay costs 20s. After the defendant had pleaded not guilty Senior-Sergeant ; McCrorie ex-

plained that about 5.30 p.m., at the corner of Ronald Street, Martin went off the path on to the road and proceeded about 30 yards down Devon Street towards the town. A man. named Rowe: was riding his motor-cycle in the opposite direction at a very fast pace. There was a collision. Rowe 1 was taken to hospital and would be there two or three months. An information had been laid against him but could not be proceeded with yet. The conviction of Martin would not affect the othbr matter as Rowe was really to blame, said the senior-sergeant. Constable King said the accident occurred near the Fitzroy Police Station. Martin left the northern footpath and went in second gear towards the town before the collision practically in the centre of the road. Martin in evidence said he had been crossing the street diagonally. MINOR OFFENCES.' For parking his mOtor-lorry over a crossing in Ariki Street A. H. Huggett was convicted and ordered to pay 13s costs. For the New Plymouth Borough Council Inspector J. W. Blyde stated that the prosecution was brought as a warning to motorists. Mr. G. E. Monaghan, for the defendant, stated thatthe car was parked there at night, when it did not appear that the crossing would be used. He pleaded guilty, however. For breaches of the parking regulations, having parked their cars in Devon Street for a greater period than 10 minutes, B. J. Young and M. G. T. Priest were each fined 10s with 10s costs. A carrier, Robert G. Roebuck, was fined £1 with costs 12s for having caused an obstruction, with his lorry in Powderham Street, near the Currie Street intersection. Inspector Blyde stated that on November 9 the defendant had left his lorry 10 feet from the kerb, so that it occupied fully half the street at that point. The defendant did not appear.