HALF-MILE CHASE AT 53 M.P.H.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 20, 8 February 1937, Page 7

HALF-MILE CHASE AT 53 M.P.H.

Traffic Inspector And Motor-Cyclist SEQUEL IN COURT "I ohecked the defendant for half a mile at a speed of 53 miles an hour," said the Main Highways Board traffic inspector, Mr J. H. R. Semple, in the course of a case at the Napier Magistrate's Court this morning, when Hugh Johnson, employed at a w ool-scouring works, was fined on charges of reckless driving, failing to give his name and address to a traffic inspector, and riding a motor-cycle withput lights, "I don't know how; he could drive so fast without a hght." Mr Semple added. Mr Semple said that he first saw defendant in the , headlights of an oncoming car. He sounded his siren, but defendant took no notice, and the inspector gave chase for half a mile, the siren soundxng all the time. When finally stopped, defendant argued abouf the speed and refused three times to give his name in the space of 15 minutes. Accused was traced through the num-ber-plate of his cycle, and told the inspector that he had got drunk at Greenmeadows and stayed there to sleep it off. That was the reason" for riding at night without lights. Mr J. Miller, S.M., who was on the Bench, fined defendant £1, with 10/costs, for riding without liglits, £1 10/withi 10/- costs for ref using to give hjs name and address, and £2 10/with 10/- costs for reckless driving. An order was made endorsing defendant' s licence. Further traffic cases were heard. L. T. Harding, Hastings, was fined 10/- with 10/- costs for operating a motor-cycle not equipped with a warning device. Frederick T. Sefton, who was convicted of failing to give way to traffic approaching from the right at an intersection, was fined £2 with 10/- costs. William Raymond Billyard, pleading guilty to operating a heavy-traffic vehicle with ineffective brakes was fined £l with 10/- costs, and W. M. Angus, Ltd., for overloading a_ heavytraffic vehicle, were fined £2 with 10/costs on the information of Mr Semple.