SPORTSMAN FINED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 151, 14 July 1937, Page 5

SPORTSMAN FINED

-Preaa Auociation.)

Sir Charles Clifiord On Intoxication Charge DROVE CAR ERRATICALLY

(By Tslegrsph-

OHRISTOHTJECH, This Day. Bjr Charles Clifford, sheep-farmer and well known sporfsman of Stoneyhurst, North Canterbury, pleaded guilty in the Kaiapoi Magistrate'a Court this moming to a charge of being intoxicated in charge of a car in Cookson Street, Kaiapoi, on July 6. He was fined £25 and his licence was suspended until May 31, 1938, he being prohibited from obtaining another until July 14, 1940. Constable HoJmee said that, on July 6 at 9.30 p.m. Sir Charles Clifford was driving from Christchurch to his home in North Canterbury. When going over the Styx overbridge his car was observed to leave the roadway, mount th'e footpath, and continue for five or six yards. Traffic-Inspector dark was coming behind and saw what hnppened, Defendant's car continued to Belfast, sometimes on the correct side and sometimes on the incorrect side of the road and went through Belfast in that manner. The inspector was not able to catch up as his car had been overhauled and he had a baffle-plate fitted, but he rang the Kaiapoi police end Constable Conway stopped Sir Charles outside the police station.'' Constable Holmes added that he ■vyonld ask for a suspension of Sir Charles Clifford 's ticket for as long a« possible for he did not think that defendant was a fit man to have a licence. Mr.R.J. Longhnan, for defendant, said that he wished to stress the faet that there had not been an accident and there was no traffic on the road. Under those conditions there wae no need for extraordinary caution on the part of any driver. "On behalf of defendant I want to say that when he is stone-cold sober his appearance is against him." Mr, Loughnan declared: "That is, so mnch so that even his intimate friends might alcoholically misjudge him." On the day in question, added Mr. Loughnan, defendant had a glasa of sherry and a glass of gin and soda for iunch, a glass of sherry after lunoh, and a glass of gin ^ a and soda, but that is not going to hurt anyone. To the Magistrate, Dr. M. G. J^Ouisson said that the conditions described had prevailed for some years. He agreed that it was not in defendant's own interests, apart from the publio interest, that he should have a licence until he could conform to testa some time in the future. From the circumstances and from previous convictions it seemed cleat that defendant should not be allowed to drive a car until, at all events, his general health improved, the 'Magistrate remarked. It was advisable that his licence should be suspended and that he should be prohibited from obtaining another for a considerable time. He thought that defendant had been led into a breach of the Act to a great extent through the condition of lxis health.