INEBRIATED MOTORIST.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15274, 26 June 1923, Page 5

INEBRIATED MOTORIST.

AN EXPENSIVE ADVENTURE. SMYTIIE CASE CONCLUDED, ys The adjourned case in which the taxi-driver Edmund Westroff Smythe was charged with *being drunk in charge of a car, concluded at the /Magistrate’s 'Court, Hamilton, yesterday. From the earlier evidence ' Smythe, who'it was alleged was under the" influence o'f liquor, had crashed \* into a gig at about 10 p.m. on June 2, throwing out and injuring one of the occupants. Defendant, in evidence,* stated that he was not drunk y when the collision took place and was quite capable of being in charge of the car. After the collision defendant pulled up and went back to see whether anyone was hurt. He supposed that undoubtedly he was excited at the time over the occurrence. A car coming from behind the gig interfered with his view of the horse-drawn vehicle, and he'did not . see the vehicle until he was right on it. He had done the best he could . under the circumstances. , Charles O’Brien, carrier, stated that be came on the seen? of the accident shortly afterwards. In his opinion delL fondant was not under the influence of liquor, nor did he smell of liquor. Edward Stanley Crawford, counter assistant, deposed, to having had tea with defendant on the evening of the accident. Smythe was then quite sober. When witness saw him after the accident he was still sober, but appeared a little excited over the accident. James Reed, carrier, Thos. Coombes, motor mechanic, and William Francis Choate, fishmonger,' gave corroborative evidence of accused's sobriety at about C. 30 on the evening in question. At this stage Mr Strang Intimated that two witnesses who would give evidence of accused’s sobriety after the accident had been summoned to appear, but so far they had not put in an appearance. He would like to have the case adjourned for a time to enable them to attend. An adjournment was opposed by Senior-Sergeant Mathew, who said ' that the case had been dragging on for ■ some considerable time without any : finality being reached. One adjournment had already been granted. It was highly desirable tiiat cases where a man was charged with being drunk in charge of a car should he disposed of as quickly as possible. Mr Strang replied that he was content td leave the case as it was, but .that if judgment went against his client \and if the additional evidence forthcoming was sufficient to warrant it an application for a re-hearing would probably be lodged. In summing up, His Worship pointed out that the police evidence as to defendant’s insobriety was overwhelming, there being no less than nine witnesses to' his alcoholic condition. Defendant would be found guilty. As the offence had taken place prior to the warning being given that in future no option of a fine would be allowed, defendant would be fined £lO and ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses £7 and Court costs 19s.