Hawera Man Fined For Intoxication While Driving Van

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 November 1948, Page 7

Hawera Man Fined For Intoxication While Driving Van

“Though your offence resulted in personal injury to a workman, I take into consideration the doctor’s report that you were not grossly under the influence of liquor,” said Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., when imposing a fine of £2O on Stead Ashton McConachy, painter and building contractor, aged 28, of Hawera, in the Magistrate’s Court, Wanganui, yesterday. . Defendant, for whom Mr. R. E. Jack appeared, had admitted being intoxicated while in Jiarge of a motor van in Victoria Avenue, late on Saturday night. Sergeant A. Carlyon, who prosecuted, said that shortly before midnight defendant was driving a small van up Victoria Avenue, when he collided with a City Council employee who was screwing down a hydrant in a water main. The van was in the centre of the road. The workman received a leg injury and a sore shoulder, but was discharged from hospital 12 hours after his admission. Apparently no bones were broken, but he would be examined by X-ray that morning to make sure that there were no complications.

The police found that defendant was under the influence of liquor and at 12.20 a.m. he was examined by a doctor and certified as being unlit to drive. Defendant was a single man and had not been in trouble previously. It was not a bad case of intoxication.

Though it was unsafe and unwise for defendant to have driven, this was not a case of gross intoxication, Mr. Jack submitted. Defendant was engaged in painting and renovating country schools. He had just completed a job up-country and had driven 100 miles. He arrived at Wanganui at 10 p.m. and had a few drinks at the hotel where he was staying, but at 11.39 p.m. went out to put his van away. His condition was probably aggravated by fatigue, the fact that he was not a regular drinker and coming out of a warm room into the cool night air. In addition, defendant still suffered from a nervous disability which was due to war service. He drove in the centre of the road to avoid some cyclists and did not see the workman. Defendant was not grossly under the influence of liquor, but the usual consequences must follow, said the magistrate, imposi j a fine of £2O.

Defendant’s driver’s licence was cancelled for 12 mon. .s, and he was ordered to pav £1 medical expenses.