MOTOR RECORD BREAKING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16723, 26 April 1920, Page 3

MOTOR RECORD BREAKING.

AUCKLAND-WELLINGTON SPEEDSTER. W. S. Miller, garage proprietor, Auckland, whoso record motor-car runs are leaving a trail of police cases in their train, was lined £lO in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court to-day by Mr. T, A. B. Daily, S.M., on a charge of reckless driving. __ Sub-Inspector Hutton stated Chat Miller left Auckland at 3 a.ni. on February 13, passed through Hamilton, To Kuiti, Mokau, Waitara, and Bulls en route, and arrived at Wellington at' a little after 7 p.m., having accomplished the journey in 14 lioura and averaged a speed of 33i miles per hour. Ho thus beat tho express train handsomely. Tiro local conditions wne iu.it after' leaving Awimvib came upon a drove of 1600 or 1700 sheep and rushed some of them over a bank in a struggling mass ten deep. __ Some were injured and killed. At Mokau he ,was seen by Mr. Whiteljead, J.P., and Mr. Maine, storekeeper, who said lie passed tho post office at a speed of 40 or 50 miles per hour. At tlio foot of Mount Messenger he ran into a mob of cattle and a serious accident was narrowly averted. Owing to tho narrowness and winding of the road, tho sub-inspector said, a speed of more than 20 miles was dangerous in most places. To average 33i miles an hour the defendant must have gone at a very liigli rate whore tho roads were good. That tho journey was not a speed test, but only a reliability test, was claimed by tho defendant in a letter to tho police. This letter' was produced in court and was accepted as a plea of guilty, in the. absence of tho defendant or a legal representative. The magistrate imposed tho maximum fine provided by the law, namely £lO. The costs were 15s.