MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 48, 25 January 1938, Page 12

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

BY-LAW CASES. Numerous cases alleging breaches of the by-laws were dealt with yesterday by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., at tlie sitting of the Magistrate’s Court. Being < the first ordinary fixture of the year, j it was a lengthy one. | A. T. Harvey was charged that, on. i November 6 at Newbury, lie drove a car at a speed which, having regard to all the circumstances, might have been dangerous to the public. Evidence was given by Inspector Hartigan for the Main Highways Board, that defendant was first noticed driving at a fast speed just beyond the city boundary, on Rangitikei Line. He crossed the Bumiythorpe Road intersection at a speed of 45 miles a hour, increased it to 60 miles an hour, reduced it again, and then accelerated to 70 miles an hour. Defendant bad passed at 60 miles an hour a corner which had been the scene of fatal accidents. He could not have pulled up in Half the distance of clear road ahead of him, and could not have given way to traffic from the right. Defendant had explained that lie thought another car was racing him. The Magistrate imposed a fine of £o, witli 10s costs. COLLISIONS WITH CYCLISTS. H. C. McAffer, for whom Mr G. Crossley appeared, pleaded” not guilty to charges of negligently driving a car on Rangitikei Line on December 8, and of driving without clue care and attention. Evidence was given that defendant had overtaken and knocked down a cyclist, Nonnan Allsop, injuring him and rendering him unconscious. Counsel stated that the visibility had been very poor, and defendant, who was driving at 20 miles an hour, had put his head out of the side of the car to secure a better view when the collision occurred. The Magistrate said lie did not consider that the evidence justified a charge of negligent driving, but it did seem to come within that of driving without due care and attention, twenty mile-s an hour was too fast under the circumstances. The charge of negligent driving was withdrawn by the police, and defendant was fined £2, with 18s costs, on the other. Fines of 10s, with 10s costs, were imposed on both W. T. Algie, of Linton, for not having an efficient windscreen wiper on liis vehicle, and R. W. Ball, for having no rear reflector on his cycle. It was stated that the former’s car liad collided with the latter’s cycle. SPEED IN SQUARE. J. A. Pearcey, of New Plymouth, was fined £2, with 10s costs, on a charge of driving a car at the intersection of the Square and Church Street in a manner which, having regard to all the circumstances, might have been dangerous to the public. Constable Ward stated that defendant had been travelling at 35 to 40 miles an hour, and had not slackened speed. It was a Friday night, and people were about to enter the pedestrian crossings. Visibility was very poor at the time. V. Rankin, of Tiakctah'una, pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving across the intersection of the Square and Rangitikei Street on December 3 in a manner which, having regard to all the circumstances, might have been dangerous to the public. Constable Salt stated that, at 7.27 p.m. on December 3, defendant, as he made the turning into Rangitikei Street, accelerated to 25 miles an hour. Several pedestrians were on the crossing, but lie passed between them. The Magistrate said there was a danger in attempting to pass between two groups of pedestrians like that, as someone might have been hit. Motorists should not accelerate, but should slow down when approaching pedestrian crossings. Defendant would be fined £2, with 10s costs, as a lesson. A CHARGE DISMISSED. A plea of not guilty was entered by J. Cox, of Paekakariki, to a charge that, on October 22, between Waikanae and Te Horo, he failed to give his name and address when the car lie was driving was involved in a collision with another driven by Miss E. M. Stern. Complainant gave evidence that damage amounting to £lO was done to her car, and that when slie asked defendant bis name he replied “That goes with the number,” which she took. Defendant stated that, ho had given hig name and address and had said that went with his car number. Remarking that there was a certain amount of doubt, and that there might have been some misunderstanding, the Magistrate dismissed the charge, after hearing tlie evidence. OTHER CHARGES. Penalties of 10s, with 10s costs, were imposed on M. Matthews for not having a driver’s license, and for stopping a car in Church Street so close to an intersection as to be likely to obstruct other traffic. V. J. Keej's was fined £2, with 10s costs, on a charge of driving a car on the Feilding-Colyton Road on December 14 without due care and attention, and 10s, with 12s costs, for failure to possess a driver’s licenso. For crossing the Taonui railway crossing on November 30 when an engine was approaching, C. I. Puklowski, of Whakarongo, was fined £2, with 12s costs. Clifton Towler was fined £l, with 10s costs, for not carrying on Ins motor-vehicle a warrant of fitness. For failure to possess a driver’s license, H. TV. Cribb, of Newbury, was fined 10s, with 12s costs. F. P. Connelly, of Bumiythorpe, was fined 10s, with 10s costs, for riding an unlighted cycle at night; £l, with 12s costs, for having no warrant of fitness for his motor-car; and 10s, with 10s costs, for failure to possess a driver’s license. Failure to have a warrant of fitness for his motor-cycle resulted in J. RGanderton being fined £l, with 10s costs. . A. D. Butler, alias Little, aged 21, was charged with the theft, on December 20, of £3. Mr G. Crossley appeared for accused, and the case was remanded until Thursday. Charged that, being a person excluded under the Gaming Act ''regulations, he was unlawfully on the Awapuni racecourse Coring a race meeting on December 28. -• T\ llham Henry Coley was fined £5, with 10s costs. MAINTENANCE. Stated to be £lO7 in arrears on a maintenance order for his child, George Albert Edwards, of Tokaanu, was ordered to comply with the current order of 7s 6d weekly and pav £1 2s 6d weekly off the arrears, default being fixed at six months’ imprisonment. Hector Charles Barkman, charged with being £26 9s in arrears for the maintenance of his four infant children, and £22 10s in arrears for his ■wife, was ordered to comply with the current orders and pay 5s weekly off the arrears on each, in default, three months’ imprisonment. John Severn Berentsen, stated to be £l2 5s in arrears for the maintenance of his wife, and £7 15s for his

children, was ordered to comply with the current orders and pay 10s weekly off the arrears, in default three months’ imprisonment. Thomas Tutty was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, defendant to be released on the payment of £3 10s arrears of maintenance due to his wife. CASE AT AUCKLAND. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Jan. 24. The disappearance of a safe containing £3B 17s Id from the shop of the Auckland Meat Company, Ltd.. Mount Albert Road, on January 1, was recalled in the Magistrate’s Court today, when two labourers, Ernest Edwin Newton and John Leslie Florence, both aged 26, were jointly charged with the offence. Each man is also charged with vagrancy and being found in possession of house-breaking implements. Newton was separately charged with the theft of two motor-driver’s licenses. Both accused pleaded not guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Newton admitted stealing . the licenses, and sentence was postponed until after the Supreme Court sessions.