MOTORIST FINED £l.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 75, 4 March 1916, Page 7

MOTORIST FINED £l.

RECKLESS DRIVING IN BROADWAY. I At the Stratford -Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, before Mr W. R. Haselden, S.M., George Karalus of Tariki, was charged with that on ' January 29, at 11 o'clock in the forenoon, he did drive a motor car in a ' reckless manner on a public highway. ' to wit, Broadway, Stratford. i Mr J. R. L. Stanford appeared on <* behalf of Karalus. f Sergeant Dale conducteil the case < for the police. < Constable McCowan said he was j standing in front of Masters' store and < noticed defendant driving his motor car at the rate of about 20 miles an > hour towards Donald's Garage. When crossing the footpath at the entrance of the garage defendant appeared to j put on his brakes. A child, who stepped out of the waiting room, inside the garage, had a narrow escape from being knocked down. Defendant gave no notice that he was going to turn into the garage; he did not sound a horn or a whistle. He was driving in a manner that was dangerous to the safety of the public. Defendant, when approached, said he thought he was going about ten miles an hour. Mr Stanford: What would lie a safe pace to travel at in Broadway? Constable McCowan: About ten miles an hour on a Saturday. Mr Stanford said that to drive a Ford car at 10 miles an hour was no easy matter. Tt was as slow as it would go on top gear. Constable McCowan said defendant passed over the footpath about 15 or 16 miles an hour. Valentine Smith, farmer, of Midhirst, said he was standing in front of 'Masters' store with Constable McCowan and Mr E. Jackson when the defendant drove his car into the garage. | The Constable said "That was a near shave." He heard no horn or whistle sounded. Edward Jackson, laud agent, said he saw the car being driven into the garage, but he did not hear a horn sounded. Witness never noticed the car until it was near the garage and on the point of going over the footpath. , . George Karalus, farmer, of Tariki, said when driving through the town on the day in question, a boy on a bicycle kept ahead of him. He was driving .from the County Council office to Donald's Garage, and when passing the Post Office he noticed his speedometer registered about 10 miles an hour. He put his foot on the whistle when turning into the garage, and some people who were on the footpath stepped aside to let him pass. He was not ' going at any excessive speed. There was no danger to the little girl in the garage; whatever. . Witness never noticed any excessive traffic in Broadway He had been driving a car for. about two years. When the Constable approached him' in the garage he taxed him of driving into the garage at 15 miles an hour. He told the Constable the speedometer said ten miles. Reginald Karalus, brother of the previous witness, said on the morning of January 29 the came into town with his. brother in a Ford ear He heard the whistle sounded. He did not see that the small girl was in any danger whatever. Just before the car entered the garage a womancaught hold of the child and drew it to one side. Mrs Donald, wife of J. Donald. garage proprietor, said at about 11 oclock she was standing at a desk in the office, and on hearing a whistle blow she walked out into the garage. When she walked out of the office the ear was crossing the footpath. The car was not going at any excessive speed It was her duty, on hearing a car enter the garage, to go and inquire what was required. In answer to a question from Sergeant Dale, witness stated she heard a whistle sounded, and saw the car enter the garage. It may have been possible, but not probable, that that whistle was not sounded by defendant. After weighing up the facts oi the case defendant was lined £1 and costs.