POLICE COURT

Southland Times, Issue 20082, 20 January 1927, Page 11

POLICE COURT

BY-LAW BREACHES. YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS. In the Police Court yesterday a number of cases involving breaches of the by-laws were dealt with by Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M. For riding a cycle without lights, J. H. Fairweather was fined 10/- anti 7/- costs. Leonard J. B. Grant, for whom Mr W. F. M. Ott appeared, was charged with leaving a car standing on the street for more than fifteen minutes. Counsel explained that defendant had been detained unexpectedly and the car had remained for thirty minutes instead of the quarter of an hour allowed. A fine of 10/- and 7/- costs was inflicted. Ewing Gardiner, who rode a motor cycle in a manner dangerous to the public, and without having a suitable horn attached, was convicted and fined £1 and 16/6 costs. Albert Mann, for driving a motor-car in a manner dangerous to the public, in that he passed a stationary tramcar at an excessive speed, was fined £3 and 7/- costs. Hallam Isaac, for failing to keep his motor vehicle on the left hand side of the tramway and light poles in Dee street, was fined £1 and 7/- costs. UNLICENSED TAXIS. Alexander Waters and William Carley were each charged with plying for hire without their vehicles being licensed in accordance with the borough regulations. Mr W. A. Stout appeared for both defendants, who pleaded not guilty. Inspector Stopford gave evidence as to having seen the defendants taking out passengers, Waters out the North road and Carley out to Riverton. Neither of the cars was licensed to ply for hire. Carley was using Waters’ car, and the latter was using a second-hand car, evidently borrowed for the day. Mr Stout submitted that the mere fact that Inspector Stopford had seen the defendants with passengers in their cars was not evidence that they were plying for hire. The cases should be dismissed. Waters was merely taking out friends. Counsel argued at length that a vehicle (o ply for hire had to be in a public place such as the street. The Magistrate held that there was no evidence to convict Waters, but Carley had a case to answer. The latter was fined £2 and 7/- costs. A DRUNKEN MOTORIST. William Alfred Jones, of no fixed abode, was charged with driving a car on January 18 while in a state of intoxication. Accused was not represented by counsel and pleaded guilty. Sergeant Fox explained that at 2.15 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon there w r as a sale on at Kelvin Road. Vehicles were outside the house in question when accused came along driving his car, and collided first with a stationary car and then with a dray, the wheel of which was broken. Accused was drunk and was arrested. Little was known about the man, nor did the police know how he came to own the car, which he declared was registered, though he could produce no certificate. John Miller, veterinary surgeon, Invercargill, stated that his car was outside a house in Kelvin Road, at which a sale was being conducted. Witness was on the verandah and saw accused's car bump into his car, sheer off it and then crash into a dray. Witness was naturally interested in the damage done to his car. A tyre and mudguard were damaged. Five pounds would cover the damage. When witness asked accused what his name was he replied that he had no name. Witness replied that if he had no name, he certainly had had some beer. In reply to the Magistrate, accused said the car was his own and the license should be in the car. Mr Cruickshank decided to adjourn the case so that inquiries could be made about accused and the car. . !