ORDERED TAXI, RUT REFUSED TO PAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18624, 28 November 1928, Page 9

ORDERED TAXI, RUT REFUSED TO PAY.

(Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, November 2S. When charged with having refused to pay a taxi fare amounting to 11s 3d, John Jamieson Fraser told the Magistrate (Mr Page) that when he ordered the taxi to take a drive with Florence Turner, aged 40, his intentions with regard to paying were good. He thought that he had the money to pay. Turner was charged with a second offence of drunkenness, also with refusing to pay her fare. The story was that the pair told the driver to take them round the bays, but when he reached Kilbirnie the driver asked accused to state definitely where they wished to go. He was told to proceed to Miramar, but he demanded the fare, which accused refused to pay. Fraser became abusive and threatened the driver, who communicated with the police. At the time of the arrest they were drunk, apparently having consumed liquor in the taxi. Fraser said that the woman was innocent and asked for her discharge. “I ordered the taxi,” he said. Fraser was fined £3 for refusal to pay the fare and ordered to pay the fare and other expenses. The woman was fined ten shillings for drunkenness.