INTOXICATED DRIVER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 110, 26 May 1937, Page 5

INTOXICATED DRIVER

Wheel Came Off Old Car COMPANION FINED "He is really sxibhormal and should not drink nor have a driver ;s licence, " sai.d Mr J » Miller, S.M., dn tho Hastings Magistrate's Cburt this niorning wheh G6orge Ellsworth pleaded guilty to being found intoxicated in charge of a car in Frederiek street, Hastings. George Edw'ards wae charged with assisting hini. Mr W. E. Bate repre- ■ sented Ellsworth and -Mr C. Diiff appeared for Edwards. Ellsworth was hlready on a term of probatdon for another otfencC. His present period was extehdcd i'or onh year and he was prohibited from holding a driver 's liceiice for five yeats. Edwaf ds ' bffence was regarded more seriouSly by the Magistrate, and he was ,fined £10, with costs 10/-. Senior-Sergeant G. Sivyer said that Edwards purehased an old car for £5, but, beihg unable to drive* got Ellsworth to drive it. After drdving about most of the day the two men had an hccident in turuihg A corner at about 6.30 p.m-., when a wheel came off "the Car. It was then discoveted that both the defendants were intoxicated. Witnesses on the s'eehe had said that both men appeared to be staggering about in a drunken condition, xxsing foul langiiage, but they had disappeared when the peli.ee arrived. Mr Bate Said that Ellsworth had been driving abolit six hours diiring the day and he was not in a bad state or intoxicAtion. Both men had become excited when the car lost its wheel. No good objeet would be served by putting Ellsworth into gaol or fining him. Edwards* througH Mr Duff, admitted being intoxicated bUt maintained that Ellsworth was quite fit to drive. Mr Miller remarked that EdwaTds was in a worse position than Ellsworth, whom he mxist have realised was eubnormal and yet had taken drink with him and allowbd him to driVe his caf