SPEEDING CARS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 131, 4 June 1937, Page 10

SPEEDING CARS

UPPER HUTT BOROUGH

THREE DRIVERS FINED

"It is a most ridiculous statement; he says he- thought he was miles out in the country," said Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., iii the Upper Hutt Court today after reading a letter from Stuart C. Taylor, who was charged with exceeding 30 m.p.h. in the borough.

Inspector A. C. Crawford, of the Transport. Department, said that on April 3 the defendant drove in a northerly direction through the borough. Kis speed through the township was 35. m.p.h. and, before reaching the northern boundary he increased his speed to 50 m.p.h. He gave his address as Warner's Hotel, Christchurch, but he had not been staying there for three months, and at the time of the offence was living in Wellington.

A fine of £3, with costs, was imposed. ,

Ronald William Roberts, whose speed in the borough was 42 m.p.h., was fined £2, with costs.

James S. Greig pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving in a manner which might have been dangerous to the public. .

Inspector Crawford said that at 6 p.m. on May 6 he followed the defendant from Howell's Corner to St. Patrick's College at a speed of 50 tn.p.h. and along the straight below St. Patrick's College the speed was increased to 65 m.p.h. The defendant said on being stopped: "I cannot deny it; there is no light over the speedo, but I doubt it all the same." There were three oncoming cars.

Greig said he was returning from the Wairarapa. He left Featherston shortly after 4.30 p.m. He maintained his speed at 30 m.p.h. as long as he thought he was in the borough, but he did not know that the borough continued on after Trentham.

Mr. Lawry: There is a large notice board to that effect put there at my request. •

The defendant maintained that .the notice could not be seen when the motorist's lights were dipped. He was an experienced driver. The Magistrate imposed a fine of £3, with costs, remarking that if the speed of 65 m.p.h. had been through the borough the fine would have been £5.