DANGEROUS DRIVING

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1929, Page 2

DANGEROUS DRIVING

MOTORIST FINED

HAMILTON, Aug. 7

On the night of June 6tli. a bo,\ named Richard Aulin was knocked ofl a cycle by a caiy at Hamilton.- His ankle was broken. The car did not stop. To-day Leslie Ernest Richard Littlejohn, a commercial traveller, ol Wellington, was charged that, being concerned in an accident, lie failed to stop to fender assistance, and with negligent and dangerous driving. Evidence showed that-Littlejohn returned to the scene when overtaken by motor car and informed of the accident. The defence was that neither Litt.ejohn nor a companion in the car felt any bump or otherwise, was aware of a collision. Littlejohn admitted that he had four glasses of ale before the accident.

The Magistrate, Air Wilson, said the explanation that the collision was unnoticed possibly was correct. It was possible also that Littlejohn and his companion were in such a state that nothing much mattered. It was a wet night. They had been to an liotei and had remained there till it closed. They then drove home through pouring rain. They could not see properly where they were going and a bump or two did not matter. He did not think that defendant would have been so heartless as to . continue on had he known an accident had occurred. His Worship, therefore dismissed the other charge and convicted defendant merely of" dangerous driving. Littlejohn was fined £5.

The Magistrate ridded that he did not want to infer that defendant was intoxicated, but he desired to issue n warning against motorists taking alcohol. Although defendant had had only a few drinks, his Worship had no doubt his driving and spirit were affected, and he would not be capable of keeping' the same vigilant look-out a& he would have done without liquor, mere was no doubt that even a few drinks would affect a man’s ability to drive.