BOARDING MOVING TRAMCARS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 53

BOARDING MOVING TRAMCARS.

A GILBERTIAN PROSECUTION. WELLINGTON, August 6. Before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court to-day, Mr James 1 Doyle, city council inspector, was prosecutor and also defendant. He charged himself with attempting, last Saturday moming, to enter a car on the Wellington city tramway while the vehicle was in motion. It was only a few days ago that the City Council resolved to prosecute all persons boarding or alighting from a moving car. Mr Doyle, as prosecutor, intimated that he, as defendant, intended to plead " Guilty." His Worship : Ia defendant a first offen- ! der? Mr Doyle : Yes, your Worship. As far as I am aware he had not been convicted before. At thb stage Mr Doyle relinquished the role of prosecutor, and pleaded on behalf of himself as defendant. He expressed sorrow for the breach, and explained that he had not committed' the offence intentionally. His excuse was that when on the point of boarding a car opposite the police station he hailed a certain police official who was alighting from another car. He entered into conversation with the officer, and while talking rested one hand on the handle of the door of the vehicle. The motorman, apparently unaware of this, set the car in motion, with the result that defendant was jerked off his feet and fell to the ground. He pointed out that he had suffered severe injuries, to say nothing of the indignity attached to the occurrence. His Worship remarked that a case in which prosecutor and defendant were the same person was unusual. Although an officer of the corporation, Mr Doyle had treated himself as an ordinary citizen, which his Worship considered was a very honourable and sensible thing to do. Defendant must be convicted and fined the usual amount. " However," remarked his Worship, " I must sympathise with de- | fendant, and hope the offence will never occur again." Defendant was fined ss, with costs (7s). Defendant : Will you allow time,, your Wroship ? His Worship : Twenty-four hours to pay.