DRIVER FINED

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1933, Page 6

DRIVER FINED

A PROBABLE APPEAL. (Per Press Association —Copyright). WELLINGTON, June .27. In a judgment, to-day, Mr Page, S.M., convicted James Francis Robt. Beveridge of being drunk in charge of a car,- and, imposed a fine of £ls. 'Security for the appeal was fixed at tb© amount of the line and costs, plus ten guineas. The defence wag that 1 Beveridge was not the driver of the car; also that the lane where the, Car was found subsequent to a complaint having been lodged with the police, was not a road, street or other place, within the nfeariing of the statute. The magistrate held that though there was no proof that Beveridge was the driver, when the car whs being driven in Willis St., the driver was drunk. If defendant was the driver lie must be convicted for having driven, and if the other man O’Neill was the driver, defendant must be convicted as having been a party to unlawful driving. He did not consider it necessary to consider whether the lane in which the car with two drunken-men in it was taken was a road, street or other place, 'and airteridfed the information to read Willis Street. Mr Page said it was proved that the caj- was driven ga number of miles in an erratic, and dangerous manner. When found an hour and a half later, they were in an advanced stage of drunkenness.