INTOXICATED MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 22147, 30 September 1935, Page 11

INTOXICATED MOTORISTS

. TWO GASES HEARD TO-DAY Two men who admitted driving cars when intoxicated appeared before Mr 11. W. Bundle, S.M., in the Police Court this morning. A driver who had been in custody since Friday was given a light fine, but a strong plea for the return of his license was firmly rejected. A man, who was arrested at Green Island late .on Saturday night, was remanded for sentence in custody till Friday. James M'Kenzie (Mr G. M. Lloyd) pleaded guilty to the charge. Senior-sergeant Packer said Inspector M'Dowall, in company with Inspector Mann, of the St. Kilda Borough, was patrolling the Main South road at 11.30 p.m. on Saturday, when he noticed M’Kenzie backing his car across to the wrong side of the street. M‘Kenzie was followed as he drove, without lights, towards Dunedin. He narrowly escaped striking a pole and a motor car at the Foresters’ Hall. He was stopped and was found to be the worse of liquor. On being brought to Dunedin he was examined by Dr Evans, whose certificate showed that, white the man was not drunk, he was unfit to drive a car. The submission that the case was not a bad one was made by Mr Lloyd. There was no injury to any person or property, and no accident occurred. M'Kenzie had freely admitted having had some liquor. It would not be suggested that there was carelessness oi excessive speeding. The Magistrate: It is more than suggested. It is stated by the police that ho narrowly missed a pole and a car. Mr Lloyd: That was- when he was backing the car. Defendant, a single man, aged 31 years, had an unblemished reputation. A fisherman at Taieri Mouth, he used the car for the delivery of the fish. He did not bring the car into the city traffic, and counsel made a plea that M'Kenzie’s driving license should not be cancelled. “ These offences seem to continue,” said Mr Bundle, who remanded M'Kenzei in custody till Friday. Gordon Osborne Sutherland (Mr C. J. L. White) appeared for sentence on a similar charge, Mr White said Sutherland was 23 years of age and single, and this was his first appearance before the court. Ho had gone to a wedding in ,his brother’s car and had some stimulant. Later he went to a dance and had more liquor, the collective power of which showed its effect when he reached Rattray street, after driving one of the party home. Owing to the early hour at which he was arrested Sutherland was unlikely to have caused any damage. He was a mechanic, at present unemployed, and the cancellation of his driving license would seriously militate against his obtaining employment. The Magistrate: No doubt it would; but the license will be cancelled.

In his plea for a light penalty Mr White said Sutherland had been seriously punished by being held in custody for four da vs.

The week-end spent in gaol should have been a severe lesson to defendant, said His Worship, who added that, in the circumstances, lie did not propose to impc" a heavy monetary penalty. He wont . fined £2 10s and ordered to pay £1 Is medical expenses, his license would be cancelled, and be would be prohibited from driving for 12 months. A month would be allowed in which the fine is to be paid.