FOURTH OFFENCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21004, 5 April 1938, Page 4

FOURTH OFFENCE

FARMER LOSES DRIVING LICENSE By lelegrapn—Presj- Association BLENHEIM, April 4. Donald McLean, a farmer, of Amberley, and a member of the Kowai County Council, pleaded guilty before Justices of the Peace this morning, to being intoxicated while in charge of a motor car at Spring Creek on Saturday afternoon.

The police stated that it was his fourth offence, the other three being in Christchurch, two in 1927 and one in 1931.

McLean arrived in Blenheim from Amberley on Saturday at noon, with a quantity of liquor in the car. He was already unde the influence of liquor. He sought to be supplied at Spring Creek, but the barman refused, as he was driving a car. McLean became offensive axid aimed a blow at the man. who advised him to leave.

In August, 1927, McLean was fined £lO. Four months’ later he was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment. On his third conviction, in 1931, he was fined £lO and his license was cancelled for two years. Counsel for defendant, appealing for leniency, said that McLean proposed seeking re-election on the County Council, and imprisonment w’ould ruin his chances. The Bench in imposing a fine of £3O and two years’ disqualification, said defendant was apparently a person of some service to the community. A term of imprisonment would cause him to suffer considerably in view of the approaching local body elections.