MORE DRUNKEN MOTORISTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 45, 9 March 1937, Page 15

MORE DRUNKEN MOTORISTS

Iflcfease Over Laet Few Months ANOTHER CIVEN GAOL That there had been mofe cases of drunkenness in charge Of cars during the past few months than there had been during the four or five years since he came to Napier as magistrate was the opinion of Mr, J. Miller^ S.M., in the Napier Magistrate 's COurt yeSterday morning. He referred to the ffequency of such cases When sentencing Thomas Andrew McAllister, a sihgle man aged 32, to one month 's imprisoninent for being drunk in charge df a caf last Saturday on the Napier-Tan-goio main highway. The def endant waS also prohibited ifoin renewing his driver's license for a ydar, "It is a problem to know What to do in these casesy" added Mr. Millef, "It is quite Certain,- howevef, that I faiust consider the protectidfl of the publie, and therefore a fitie is out of the question. I would have thoaght that the more severe penalties imposed Iately would have put a stop to this class of offenCe, but apparently not." A Zig-ZUg fJoufse. Seniof-Sergeaut W. Pendef said that at about 6.30 p.m. On SatUtday McAllister was seen by another motonst steering a zig-zag course along the Napier-Tangoio road. Another ea# approaching was obliged to get right oif the road to avoid an accident, The two motorists conferred and decided to follow McAllister along the road. Eventually they came upon him when his car was pulled up on the road, he was rolling a cigafette. They told him not to drive his car, but he took no notiee and made off. The two motorists then drove into Bay View and reported the matte| to cfdnstable Walden, and while dding this McAllister drove past in the difeetiofl df Napier. Aceompanied by the policeman they folloWed him, He was travelling sometimes at over 50 miles an houf. Eventually he was overtaken and breught in t6 the Napier Folice Station where Df, G, E. Waterwofth examined him and certified that he was intoxidated. "It was most for'tunate that he did not cause an accident with his f&st driving," commented the senior-ser-geant, Plea for Leniency A request that on his plea of guilty MeAllister be fined and not Sent to prisoii was inade by his counsel, Mr V, J. Langley. . "The defefidafit went out to B!ay View to* see some friends," he said "He drove them td the racecourse Und then returned to Bay View. Admittedly, he had some drinkj and he thottght that he* would driv© out into the couhtfy to giVe hiinself a* ehance to get over it, He had beett suffefing from gastfic trouble and that may have affected him. "He has had a very severe lesson ahd has been in custody since Saturday^ night," said counsel. "This is an iso-' lated case and I'm going to- ask your Worship to cansidef a fine instead of imprisonment. If he goes to prison he will lose his job. He has not befen before the court for 11 years, afid then not for this kind of trouble." Mr Miller said in passing sentence that he did not accept McAllister's excuse that he drove his car out into the open to let the liquor wear off, He persisted in travelling at a higb speed along the highway and might haVe beeiS the cause of an accident, "I must be consistent with my attitude towards other similar cases," h» concluded.