COURT NEWS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 113, 22 January 1940, Page 4

COURT NEWS

CHARGE OF ASSAULT SEVERAL TRAFFIC CASES The monthly sitting of the Opotiki Magistrate's Court was held on Tuesday morning before Mr E. L. Walton, S.M. t Assault Charge. John Bell was charged with assaulting Arthur Young at Opotiki. Sergeant Isbister said that a fight took place at the house of a man named Ross. The fight was a vicious one, several being involved. One man was taken to hospital, where it was found he had three ribs broken, the diaphram also being pierced. This man was' now out of danger, but was still in hospital. Bell join- v ed in when he saw his father lyiu£» on the ground. Bell who was a de-* cent young man, was now in camp. He had never previously been in trouble. In view of the circumstances, the magistrate ordered Bell to come up for sentence if called upon. Traffic Offences.^ Eric Arthur Thompson wlfc charged by the police-with driving" to the danger of the public. Sergeant Isbister said that at 12.45 a.m. on 10th December, Mr Mravich was going home and saw a car corning out of Ford Street into Brabant Street., The car screeched as it took the cor-r ner. Mr Mravich had his wife with, him at the time. The car turned on to the grass and just missed Mrs Mravich. The car went on ami just > missed another person. The car was then driven off with the lights switched off. The number was secured. An examination next day showed the marks of the car all over the road. When interviewed Thompson stated that he was bending down try ing to fix the lights and that was " the reason for the erratic driving. Defendant was fined £2 and costs 10s. R. D. Scott Abbot was charged by the police with failing to keep to the left side of the road. Sergeant? Isbister stated that on the 24tli December, Abbot was driving from Opotiki to Waiotahi, and had two girls in the car with him. Defendant admitted driving on the wrong side and colliding with a taxi driven by a man named Philpott l . One of the girls was cut over the eye. Abbot admitted he was not keeping a proper lookout. He could have seen the taxi 200 yards away. There was no reason for the collision to have taken place. Mr N. V. Hodgson, who appeared | for defendant, said that just before a slight bend in the road, there was a straight section, where it was the usual practice to travel fast in ears.; There were corrugations in the roail and in order to avoid these, defendant had gone on to thtuwrong side of the road.

Mr Walton fined defendant £1 with costs 10s. ■ The following cases were brought forward by the Opotiki Borough Council, evidence being produced by the borough traffic inspector, Mr J.: H. Morell:— J. G. Emmett. No apearance. Charged with having no warrant of fitnessi Fined 10s with costs 12s. T. Delamere. No appearance. No warrant of fitness. Fined 10s with costs 15s. David G. Beattie. No appearance. No warrant of fitness. Fined 10s with costs 12s. William E. Carruthers. No appearance. No warrant of fitness. Fined 10s wiht 10s costs. P. R. Hollis. No appearance. warrant of fitness. Fined 10s with costs 10s. P. F. Farnworth (Mr G. B. Murray). Pleaded'guilty to carry ing no warrant of fitness. Convicted and ordered to pay Costs 235. Mr Murray said that defendant came into town at infrequent intervals and overlooked his obligation. A motor lorry driver, Thomas Lee v who parked his lorry for about an hour within six feet of a lire plug, was convicted and ordered to pay costs 255. * Amy Hutt was charged by tor Morell with allowing 10 head of >•- cattle to wander at large in Bridge Street. Mr Morell sai'd that on the day there was a lot of traffic about.; He had .had a lot* of trouble from, defendant. A fine of £1 with costs> lis was imposed.