LONG LIST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 114, 27 February 1950, Page 2

LONG LIST

MAGISTRATE’S COURT MANY TRAFFIC OFFENCES Mr E. A. Lee, S.M., presided at a sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Ashburton to-day. There was a lengthy list of cases chiefly concerning traffic offences.

The police proceeded against Norman Stephens for selling liquor, to wit beer, on February 26, 1950, and for using a section at 159 Wills Street as a place of resort for the consumption of intoxicating liquor. Senior-Sergeant C. H. Reardon stated that on Sunday, February 26 he and a constable found accused with about a dozen men, sitting in and around a shed on the property, drinking beer. Accused admitted that the beer was his, and that he had charged each man about 2s 6d a bottle, will which the visitors agreed. In a cupboard in the shed he found 10 full bottles of beer. There was, he submitted, no evidence of sales to take away, but of a drinking party gathering with some regularity on Sunday mornings.

Mr V. W. Russell, for the defendant, pointed out that the small number of bottles found indicated that there was not a sly-grog business in the ordinary sense of the term. As to the two previous offences and convictions admitted, Mr Russell .contended that the fines, £5 and £l2 10s, indicated the comparatively trivial nature of .the offences. The gathering would appear to have, been or a social nature. It was very significant that no liquor had been sold for consumption off the premises.

Defendant, who pleaded guilty, elected to be tried summarily, and was convicted. On the first charge he was fined £2O, with the forfeiture of the liquor, and on the second was convicted and ordered to pay costs.

, Firjes Imposed

The Transport Department proceeded against the following for breaches of the traffic regulations. Norman Dinsmore Ansty, for operating a motor vehicle without due care and attention, and with not having a current driver’s licence, was fined £2 and costs on the first charge and 10s and costs on the second. Other traffic cases resulted:

Ailan E. J. Brown, for riding a motor cycle without number plates, and in contravention of a special proviso of his licence, carrying a passenger on his pillion, was fined 10s and costs 10s on the first charge and 20s and costs 12s on the second.

France Ensor, for operating a motorvehicle and having no current driver’s licence, 20s and costs 10s. John Charles Giltrap—no rear vision mirror, 20s and 10s costs. William Healey, for permitting an unregistered motor vehicle to be used, and for having no warrant of fitness, was fined 10s and 10s costs on each charge. Horace Percival Hennessey, exceeding speed limit, £2 and 12s costs. Thomas Henry Reeves, exceeding speed limit, no driver’s licence and no prescribed lights on a motor-cycle £2, 10s and £1 with costs 10s on each charge. David James Hugh Muckle, operating a heavy vehicle at over 30 miles an hour, £2 and 10s costs. Blackburne, Smith and Company, operating a goods service in a district not authorised, 20s and 10s costs. Thomas Gerald Scott, operating a heavy motor vehicle l at a speed exceeding 30 miles an hour—£2 and 12s costs.

John Edward Southenvood, operating a motor-cycle when not in possession of a licence for that class of vehicle —10s and 10s costs.

William Waddell, excessive load and no certificate of fitness on goods service vehicle 80s and 10s with 10s costs on each charge.

David S. Wallace, operating a heavy traffic vehicle at over 30s miles an hour £2 and 10s costs.