Fines And Penalties In Otaki Conrt

Chronicle (Levin), 2 April 1949, Page 2

Fines And Penalties In Otaki Conrt

A short sitting* of the Magistrate's Court was held in Otaki on Friday, and was presided over by Mr. A. M. Goui'ding, S.M. Traffic and motoring offences charges formed the main part of the calendar. Leonard W. Cressy, of Otaki Railway,- was charged with driving without due eare and attention oh December 24. It was staied that he was driving a lorry from the railway crossing towards the Main Road, and a collision between his vehicle and a bus had occurretf. Two or three people had been injured as a result of the accident. Mr. C. F. Atmore, who appeared for defendant, state'd that buses often came down the hill towards the corner where the collision occurred at a fairiy fast speed. A hedge in the vicinity had prevente'd his client from seeing the bus in time. Defendant had appfled his •footbrake, which had failed to act, a peculiarity that hydraulic hrakes sometimes showe'd. He had had insufficient time to apply his handbrake, and admitted the charge under the circumstances. The magistrate agreed that brakes did fail to act occasionally. and drivers did not have time to apply the handbrake. A fine of 20s, with costs 10s, was imposed. Beryl Bevan (Mr. B. H. Rhodes) was charged by Traffic Inspector C. L Davis with having no driver's licence. The magistrate considered that the girl's father was allowing her to take a grave risk in permitting a girl of 17 years to drive without a license. The penalty was 20s, with costs 12s. Peter Elliott was charge'd by Inspector Davis with driving a vehicle without a licence. Inspector Davis stated that. a boy of 11 years ! _ _ j— +vn/irnr

oi age was anviiig through the town at 9.10 p.m. He had stopped him and been told that the man behind in a car was in charge. The boy ha-d been driving the tractor to and from a farm each day. . "That's. a serious thmg: He had no right to put a boy of that age in charge of a tractor," eommemed Mr. Goulding, in inflicting a fine of £2 10s, with costs 12s, • Bernard Joseph Robert Byers was charged with exceeding the speed limit. Inspector Davis advis--ed that he had checked the speed of defendaht's motor cycle through Otaki Railway,- a- restrieted area, at 55 m.p.h. On being questioned, he stated that .he did not- know what speed he had travelled at. Defendant paid a penalty of £3 • 10s. Costs were 10s. Having no warrant of fitness cost Arthur Chan 20s, with 12s costs. A charge of having no driver s licence was withdrawn.