"NO LENIENCY."

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18906, 22 January 1927, Page 17

"NO LENIENCY."

DRUNKEN CAR-DRIVERS.

FINE AND SUSPENSION. [THE PBESS Special Service.] DUNEDIN, January 21. Donald O'Hara admitted to Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., in the City Police Court that on January 20th he was intoxicated in charge of a car in Pine Hill terrace. Sub-Inspector Fahey said that defendant, in avoiding a tramcar which had stopped ahead of him, crashed into the footpath and a telegraph pole, seriously damaging the car. Interviewing him later a constable found that ho was drunk. For the defendant Mr J. S. Sinclair said the matter was a serious one for O'Hara, a respectable married man, with no previous conviction, whose livelihood was the selling of motor-cars. He was not really under tho influence, said counsel. "Ho had four, drinks only and, anyway, when he got into tho tight corner he did the correct thing in acting as ho did." The Magistrate: The state he was in was responsible for getting hini into that position with his car. Mr Sinclair: I admit that he should not have been drunk, but he pulled up vor.v suddenly and did the only thing possible. A small fine might meet the case, in which case the man's employers would be prepared to retain hira in their service, reporting him to tho police if he showed any sign of taking liquor. "A most serious thing it is,'' said his Worship, "when a man has to admit intoxication while in charge of a car. It cannot lightly be passed over, for tho offence is aggravated rather than minimised by tho fact that selling cars (which involves much driving) is defendant's livelihood. O'Hara will be fined £lO and prohibited from driving for six months " Mr Sinclair: I hesitate to appeal again, Mr Bundle. It is unfortunate when a man is deprived of his livelihood, and there is nothing previously known against this man's character. The Magistrate: It is not a question of character, but rather of the public safety. There can bo no leniency in these cases.