WEEK-END MOTORING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 403, 12 January 1909, Page 6

WEEK-END MOTORING.

! SPEED OF 36 MILES AN HOUR. '■ ! CHATJFFEUR 'feEF'ORE THE' COURT. \ 'l / For, .complaints. have - been' made' -.of. th.e/excessiye.-speeas ■ indulged- jri- .byfi motor-car-drivers and riders'of motor bicycles When /passing through the/UpperHutt Town Djstrict,. and -it .has-been' noticed that .- the provisions of the Motor Regulation A.ct, ; 1908; relative to tho use of tho horn .or bell-to Warn passenger's and vehicle drivers is.'moro' honoured in the breach than the observance. | Yesterday! Stanley Gillies, chauffeur,; driver of motor car No. ■ WBl. (owned -by Mr. G. Pinnock,: of the Trocadero Hotel, Wellington) was charged at the Upper llutt Police' Court;' before Messrs. P. D. Davies and W. Barber, J.P.'s, with having.driven a 'motor -car, at an excessive/ speed- through the township in the latter end of October, and 'neglecting to use horn: or bell /when:apprpachirig pedestrians, or vehicles. The "'case -Was. conduoted on behalf ~of She Upper Hutt Town Board by ■ the Town Cl<nk, who explained! tha't' there appeared, on the _part. of drivers f o'f motor cars and riders of motor bicycles; to bo an impression that' the - possession', of ' a-' motor vehicle relieved .them! from 1 all-restraint; and empowered: them to set at defiance'all statutory .and /local: regulations...-In'., the l case in question,; the. driver; had covered a. distance of 24 chains, in less-than half-a-tninute, which showed a /speed of. at least 36 miles per hour. At the . time, the 'alleged; offence,.was;'committed,'it. was usual for - a',fair -number of people and vehicles to be about, as the morning Wairarapa train to 'Wellingtoh'causea a number of.,persons, to visit. the'/railway-. station.' This -was especially noticeablo on/ days when choap,.fares: wero available;or,-there' wassome .special /attraction .in towa;The board had not singled out/this particular-offender to make an example of/him; but V.wished to indicate to motorists that, it'was nPt' intended to permit the public streets to, be .converted into, racing /tracks' by ' tourists and'-..week-enders'. Mr. A\ r . 'J.:Cameroh,/locomotive driver, corroborated.,what - had been. stated by Mr. M'Curdy,/and estimated the speed- as at least 30; miles per hour. He-had considerable experience in. the matter 'of speeds ■of vehicles./ -Mr;,. G; Lay, J.P., • also gave' 'evi-/ dence -in support' of " the charge of driving at a / speed " dangerous : to : the' public—all things being considered—and averred; that no' use was made by the.chaiuffeur of horn or bell to warn/persons on; the/road. Defendant, who pleaded/"Not guilty,"■did !'npt/;c6nsider he Was l driving -• at •. an • excessive, speed;: He' ad-. mitted that' he exceeded' 20! miles .per' hPur; and that/he did'so at the instigation of the person 'whom: he was 'drivings but' who'/ did not wish' to'be seen in the-matter.,' Ho not noticed- anyone about or he. Would hiiyo. slowed down. He did-not!: use : 'the, horn, to/ warn, people,' as lie-was of dpinion peoplp,; andvespeoiolly drivers, 'objected-i Mr. /M'Cnrdy,, Town . Clerk, said that/ he .[did'/;not; wish to ask for .a'lieayy/.penalty/as/this was.the/first pase .under; the by-law for aiy bffeiice -.of this nature/ ' He.: pointed.., out', that. within!/ the measured-distance ,-there';:we^;h^ eleven 'side street !interactions,'/from any, of Which vehicles • might! have emerged, and. been collided with; Motors, raised such ari ampuht of dust: -when travelling at -liiglj - speeds . 'that it' was 'possible 'for;a.; b' trail of dust behind', it/such as;.would; obscure: the approach /of . another motor/ in an opposite direction, - and . therefore "it-, -vras./jimperative. that. warnihg/by horn or boll should-be given on all occasions. , . There ,'were'/a, number, of users of'the/road-Who.'exercised', moderation, but, on th'o' other ; hand/ tliero' were, persons who simply. disregaMed - tho/ fights: and 'com-, forts of others, and .these/"persons should bo matte. to understand: that/they.- : could not. in-, dulgo in their vagaries in ; tliis district with impunity. The, Bench jnfliotecl a fine of 20s. and costs (135.), as it/was. the' first case of the kind .under tho by-laws, but"indicated future. offenders, must not expect to be so leniently treated; The witnesses for the Town Board waived- their claims'! for. l expenses on this occasion.