TRAFFIC OFFENCES

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1935, Page 6

TRAFFIC OFFENCES

ELTHAM PROSECUTIONS THREE CASES OF COLLISIONS. WARNING BY MAGISTRATE. The time of the Eltham Police Court was largely taken up yesterday with the hearing of charges against motorists. There was an unusually long list of offences and a substantial sum was collected in fines and costs. For driving a motor-car without being the holder of a driver’s license, J. N. Hatcher (Mr. P. J. Coleman) was fined £1 and 10s costs. For failing to give way to traffic from the right he was fined £2 and 10s costs. A charge of failing to maintain his position to the left of the centre of the roadway when turning from Preston Street to Eltham Road was withdrawn. Sergeant Henry explained that the charge arose out of a collision on July 29, 1934, between Hatcher’s car and a motor-cycle carrying D. Cocker with Miss T. Ricketts as a pillion rider. Both were seriously injured. There had been a Supreme Court action in which Hatcher had been called on to pay heavy damages. It was very careless driving that had caused the accident. Pleading guilty Mr. Coleman- submitted that the police presentation of the facts were fair. Hatcher was a farm labourer who had driven his employer to church in another man’s car. He was earning only £1 a week and was liable for £3O property damage for which judgment had been given against him. Counsel appealed for lenience. The magistrate said the question was whether Hatcher had paid the damages. He pointed out all the trouble Hatcher had caused to the riders of the cycle ■ind the owner of the car. For having no warning device attached to his motor-vehicle Bert Pepperell was fined £1 and 10s costs. For failing to give, way to a vehicle approaching from the right he was fined £1 and 10s costs. A charge of dangerous driving was withdrawn. . Mr. J. L. Weir stated that Pepperell was driving a light < lorry which had no horn, and when he came to the corner of Bridge and High Streets he collided with a motor-car. Tire latter was slightly damaged. There was no suggestion of speed. . Pepperell pleaded guilty, contending that the accident was not entirely his fault. When he reached the comer the way seemed clears but the-car came up suddenly. Charles Ager was fined £1 and 10s costs for driving a motor-car without being the . holder of a driver’s license. For using a spotlight on the vehicle he was. fined £1 10s and £1 0s 6d costs. “I am instructed that the car is the cause of a great deal of complaint,” said Mr. j; L, Weir for the prosecution. . “The spotlight is so badly placed that it lights up the telegraph wires. Motorists have found it impossible to pass his car with safety. We ask for a heavy penalty.” COLLISION ON BRIDGE. Arising out of a collision between two cars on the Mangawhero bridge, Mountain Road, Eltham, K. W. Jackson, Ngaere (Mr. A. A- Stewart) was charged with negligently driving a motor-car. The charge was dismissed. Constable F. Antill gave evidence as to the position of the cars on the bridge after the accident. There were notices stating it was a one-car bridge. Stanley C. Coleman, Dalziel Road, driver of the other car, gave evidence as to the impact. He said he applied his brakes when he saw he could not get across the bridge, but his wheels skidded, he could not stop in time and a collision occurred. Jackson afterwards suggested that they divide the accounts for the damage, believing that there was “fifty-fifty” responsibility. Jackson gave evidence that he thought he was nearer the bridge and he considered it was “his bridge” when he attempted to cross. He considered Coleman’s speed was greater than his own. Sergeant Henry: When you saw the other man travelling at a greater rate why did you not take greater precautions? - Jackson said he felt there was sufficient room for him and he took all the safeguards he thought necessary. He pulled up but it was too late, as the other car had come on very quickly. The greasy state of the road prevented Coleman from stopping as he expected; Jackson considered he had the right of way and there was no occasion for him to stop. ' . “In view of possible civil proceedings I do not wish to make any comparison of the driving of the two parties, but in this case there seems to be a reasonable doubt as to the negligence of Jackson in driving on to the bridge in the manner he did. and-I dismiss the charge,” said the magistrate. Stanley Cyril Coleman (Mr. J. L. Weir) was charged with negligent driving arising out of the same circumstances. Mr. Weir said he could not conceive of two men having half a mile.of clear view between them having a collision on a bridge. He contended that if both men were not guilty of negligence neither of them was and the accident might have been due entirely to the conditions. He suggested an adjournment till after the hearing of the civil claim. The magistrate said it was embarrassing to have to make a comparison of the drivers at that stage in view of the possibility of a civil claim and he agreed to an adjournment until after the claim had been heard. DRIVING ON WRONG SIDE. For failing to keep as near as possible to the left-hand side of the road, Jack Gower was convicted and ordered to pay costs 10s. Mr. A. A. Stewart for the defence said Gower was collecting calves on Rawhitiroa Road and pulled on to the right-hand side for convenience. He was just pulling back again when a car containing the inspector and the constable came along and met him. “There is no question of speed, and the charge is brought merely as a warping,” said Mr. Weir. M. K. Archibald, a commercial traveller, Wellington, was fined £1 and £1 0s 6d costs for driving a motor vehicle without holding a license. Arthur S. Anderson, for riding a motor-cycle without a driver’s license, was fined £1 and £1 Os 6d costs. Donald 'P. Trim was fined £1 and £1 0s 6d costs for a similar offence. Mr. Weir, for the prosecution, said it was too late in the year for drivers or riders not to have licenses. From the records there appeared to be a number of motor-cyclists who had not yet registered. '■ The magistrate: I will increase the penalty for riding motor-cycles without licenses after this date. Apparently most

offenders are caught when riding into the town to get licenses. Maurice Blackwell was fined £1 and 10s costs for driving a delivery truck without being the holder of a driver s license. He had since taken out a license. This had been forwarded to the inspector. Leonard Olsen was fined 10s and 12s costs for riding a motor-cycle without a light. He pleaded guilty. Stopped in High Street by the inspector at 10 p.m. Olsen took an electric light bulb out

of his pocket, it was said, and when it was put in the socket by the inspector it gave a light. Olsen's explanation was that he took the machine to a repai. shop to have a defect in the lamp remedied but this could not be done at the time. He took a bulb away with him, but shortly after he met the inspector the light fused. There was other trouble in the lamp as well. The charges against Ewrrt W. Butt of riding a motor-cycle without a headlight

and of failing to keep to the left were adjourned to the next court sitting. Sergeant Henry stated that Butt had been badly injured and had been 18 months in hospital. Probably the use of his arm had been lost for the rest of his life. The sergeant offered no objection to the adjournment. Making a voluntary ap„ earance J. B. Linton was ordered to pay 2s costs only for driving a motor-car with only one headlight. It was explained that at 8.10 p.m. on August 27 Linton was caught

by the inspector on Skeet Road. He was unaware till then that he had only on? light and after adjusting a loose connection the light functioned properly. Leo D. Foreman, for riding a cycle without a light was fined 10s and 12s costs. He had no reflector, no bell and no white paint on the mudguard, said Mr. Weir. A boy 15 years of age, who was treated as a juvenile, was ordered to pay 12s costs without conviction for having no lights on his cycle.