POLICE DESCRIBE YOUNG FARMER AS BEING A RECKLESS DRIVER

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 February 1949, Page 6

POLICE DESCRIBE YOUNG FARMER AS BEING A RECKLESS DRIVER

“Defendant is known to the police as a reckless driver,” said SeniorSergeant F. Culloty in the Magistraie’s Court, Wanganui, yesterday, after Malcolm Gordon Reid, aged 20, laimer, Nukumaru had admitted being intoxicated in charge of a car on Somme Parade, 'lhe case was the sequel to a collision between defendants car and two taxis early on the morning of February 13. Imposing a line of £2O. Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., said that a regrettable feature of the case was that. Reid was only 20 years of age. His driver’s licence wa.s cancelled for 12 months and he was ordered to pay medical and other costs amounting to £1 Ils. Ivlr. R. E. Jack appeared ior defendant. Senior-Sergeant Culloty fold the Court that at 12.20 a.m. defendant was driving his car along Somme Parade at a high speed. He was travelling in lhe direction of Aramoho and ahead of him was a taxi,the speed ol which was 25 miles an hour. At the same time another taxi was approaching from Lie direction of Aramoho. The driver of the taxi immediately ahead of Reid heard defendant applj his brakes and realising that a collision was inevitable accelerated so as to lesen the impact. Defendant’s car crashed into the back of the taxi and then bounded off, striking the second taxi, which was travelling in the direction of the city. The three cars were damaged and a passenger in one of the taxis received a cut on the head.

Defendant admitted that he was responsible for the accident and offered to pay all expenses. He also offered to drive the injured person to tne hospital. He left the scene before the arrival of the police, but was subsequently located by two constables at the Druid s Hall, Aramoho, where a function was being held. Defendant admitted that eh was the driver and as he was in a state of intoxication was taken to Central Police Station, where a doctor certified that

he was incapable ol driving a cat with safety. Accused then asked I’m his own two doctors and was aub- • sequently examined by them. Defendant had not been in trouble previously, except when fined £2 in Hawera lor speeding. He was known to the police, however, as a reckless driver, said Senior-Sergeant Culloty. Mr. R. E. Jack submitted that delendant had been attending a dance and was returning there when the accident occurred. Though he was ad- , ' mittedly unlit to drive, the circum- ’ I stances showed that he was not ' grossly intoxicated. He showed con- [.! cern lor the person injured and 11 when examined by his own doctors they certified that he had then re- . covered, but was .probably unlit to . [ drive at the time of the accident. 11 Counsel added that in view of the ( regulations he was unable to ask that fj no order be made regarding cancellation of defendant’s driver’s licence, I but it should be pointed out that he . lived 24 miles from Wanganui. >; Mr. Jack said that defendants in- . surers were not liable and Reid had [! to pay costs of all damage done. He ; had already paid £5l 19s in repairs for I ! one taxi and had promised to buy a ;! new cycle lor one of the passengers j! whose machine was being carried at ' the rea r of the taxi with which de--1 fendant collided. The damage to the . second taxi had not yet been assessed and in addition there was the cost ol | repairing defendant’s own car. Total : costs would exceed £lOO. Reid was a J hard worker and a young man ui 1 excellent character. i “The usual course must follow,'' I said the magistrate, imposing a line of i £2O.