Reckless Driver Fined £l0

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 33, 9 February 1937, Page 2

Reckless Driver Fined £lo

EMBANKMENT SMASH. (Special to “Times.”) NAPIER, Last Night. Cancellation of his driving licence for a period of three months and a fine of 1510 were the penalties imposed upon Charles E. Small, sheeptarmer, oi Hastings, in the Napier Magistrate’s Court this morning by Mr J. Miller, S.M. for reckless driving on the Na-pier-Wes tshore road on December 31. The defence was a plea that the erratic course pursued by defendant’s car was due to a sudden puncture, but in view of the fact that the defendant had not mentioned this in a statement to the police on the night of the accident the Magistrate said that he I was not satisfied with the explanation. I Senior-Sergeant W. Pender said that the defendant was driving his car 1 from Wes tshore on the night oi the 1 accident, and on the bridge on the Westshore Embankment met another car and collided with it. A small child waa injured. Evidence given by the driver of the other car indicated that when defendant’® car entered the bridge it swerved twice across the bridge at a fairly fast speed and then collided with his car. After the accident he saw a bottle on the road which he was sure had not been there before. It later disappearj ed, and although defendant smelled | of drink be was perfectly steady. Corroborative evidence was given by a passenger. In evidenoe, defendant said that he bad taken no liquor during the day. He was returning from the Joylanda Cabaret, whore he had been with a friend. His car was punctured by a targe nail at the entrance to the bridge and the sudden deflation of the tyre caused the car to swerve violently. He did not mention this fact to the police because be had been told that it was better not to 6ay much after an accident until legal advice had been taken. “I am not satisfied with this explanation,” said Mr Miller. ‘*l accept the evidence of Mr Spence and the other witness, Swailes, as to the manner in which the accident happened.'*