INSPECTOR HAD A NARROW ESCAPE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19134, 29 July 1930, Page 6

INSPECTOR HAD A NARROW ESCAPE

MAGISTRATE CANCELS LICENSE OF MOTORIST

Fortunately for himself. Traffic Inspector J. Benge is an agile man. But for that fact he would have been unable to give his version to Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., this morning of what occurred at the intersection of Cashel and Colombo Streets at 5.30 o’clock last evening. Charles Arthur Anthony Fletcher, a baker, forty-four years of age, was driving his car north along Colombo Street. Inspector Benge signalled against him, but Fletcher went on. To avoid a collision he swung' in and passed right over the mat on which the inspector had been standing. A quick side-step saved the inspector. This morning Fletcher pleaded guilty to a charge of having been intoxicated in charge of a motor-car. Sub-Inspector O’Hara said that after Fletcher had passed over the inspector's mat, the latter called to him. Fletcher stopped and got out, and it was then seen that he was intoxicated. A constable was called, and Fletcher was arrested.

Mr Twyneham said that Fletcher ■was well known, and was a respectable man. He had been driving a car for five years, and had not had a mishap of any kind. lie had been working from two o’clock in the morning. It was admitted that lie had had three drinks. The weather was vdrv bad at the time, and any motorist might have mistaken the inspector’s signal. Counsel pointed out that Fletcher did not ignore the inspector when the latter called on him to stop. He could not have been badly intoxicated, for the police let him go at 9.15 p.m, Fletcher was fined £lO and costs, and liis license was cancelled. .