“A SERIOUS MENACE”

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21040, 16 February 1940, Page 7

“A SERIOUS MENACE”

TRACTOR DRIVER DRUNK MACHINE WITHOUT LIGHTS OFFENDER FINED £2O CAMBRIDGE COURT CASES (Special to Time*) CAMBRIDGE, Thursday At the Cambridge Magistrate’s Court today, before Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., Claude Henry Lang, a contractor and motor driver, was fined £2O with costs £1 13s for being in charge of a tractor while intoxicated on February 12. Constable Maisey said that at the time of the offence it was nearly dark. Defendant had consumed a* of liquor up to 6 p.m. A doctor testified that at the time he examined him Lang was still under the influence of liquor. The magistrate said defendant was taking very serious risks. He was driving a machine that could cause* great damage if he had had a collision with any traffic. It was getting dark and with the tractor without lights and in his condition he was a-serious menace on the road. MOTORISTS PENALISED WOMAN FINED £5 Isabelle Little, married, of Okoroire, charged with affixing to a motor car a number plate which had not been assigned to the vehicle and was likely to be mistaken for the proper number, was convicted and fined a total of £5 and costs. Driving negligently on the Leam-ington-Pukekura Road on December 1 cost Raymond Vaughan Perkins, ot Te Awamutu. £2 with costs 15s. Constable Maisey stated that defendant had a collision with a horse and gig driven bv J. H. Davidson. Speeding Charge Dismissed Benjamin William McDonald, a farmer, of Waiuku, was charged with driving at an excessive speed on the St. Kilda Road, on December 14. Constable Maisey stated he was inspecting the scene of a fatal accident which had occurred the previous day when defendant passed two stationary cars at a speed estimated by those on the roadside to be between 55 and 60 miles an hour. Corroborative evidence was given by Francis George Wooller, John Hamilton and Ernest Harwood. The road was stated to be straight but dusty. Defendant said he was travelling at 40 miles an hour. He admitted that at the time he had no certificate of fitness for his car, although the brakes had been previously adjusted. The day after Constable Maisey interviewed him he had had no trouble to get a certificate. The magistrate dismissed the charge of driving at an excessive speed, but fined defendant 10s for having no certificate.

INTOXICATION CHARGE

REFUSED TO LEAVE HOTEL Joseph Kelly was charged with being drunk in the National Hotel on February 12, failing to leave the premises when asked to do so by the licensee. He was also charged with procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order. A fine of £3, with costs £1 16s, was imposed.

BILLIARDS AFTER HOURS

Thomas Henry Leng was charged with keeping his billiard saloon in Victoria Street open after hours and John Brett, Edward Walker, Arthur Edmond Reynolds and Harry Tairi were charged with being in the saloon after hours. Constable Maisey said he entered the premises at 11.50 p.m. and found the men playing pool with the proprietor supervising. The proprietor was fined £1 and costs and the four men were fined 10s each and costs.