SPEEDSTERS TRAPPED

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 289, 27 February 1928, Page 11

SPEEDSTERS TRAPPED

FINES AT FAPAKURA SEVENTY-SEVEN PROSECUTED (From Our Own Correspondent) PAPAKURA, To-day. Seventy - seven motorists were charged before Mr. W. G. McKean, j S.M., at the Papakura Police Court, j to-day, with speeding on the Great j South Road-, through Papakura. The solicitor for the Papakura Town Board, which laid the informations, Mr. S. D. Rice, explained that the offences occurred from December 17 to aJnuary ; 4, and that the speeds varied from 34 miles an hour to 50 miles an hour. The traffic was heacy during this period and there were many narrow escapes from accident. The prosecutions were brought under the Motor Vehicles Act, which considered that, in cases previously decided, the court had indicated that 32 miles an hour was on the border line between a safe and unsafe speed. The Papakura by-law specified 20 miles an hour through the town. A trap was laid over a measured quarter of amile, past several intersections. Fifty-six defendants did not appear, or pleaded guilty. W. J. Clements, a motor cyclist, for travelling 50 miles an hour, was fined £7 10s and costs 15s, and also fined 10s and costs 12s 6d for making undue noise. Another motor cyclist, V. A. Watkins, who, it was said, followed Clements within a few seconds, apparently trying to race him, and doing 475 miles an hour, was fined £7 10s and costs 15s, and also 10s and costs 12s 6d for undue noise. Other fines were A. H. Coles, 425 miles an hour, £5 and costs 15s; E. Alcock, 41 miles, £5 and costs 17s; S. A. Sandford, 40 miles, £5 and costs 15s; A. E. Timpsen, 40 miles, £5 and costs 15s; K. S. Graham, 40 miles, £5 and costs 15s; G. M. C. Craig, 40 miles, £4 and costs 15s; W. P. Fennell, 39 miles, £4 and costs 15s; E. P. Taylor, 39 miles, £4 and costs 15s: A. T. Rout, 39 miles, £4 and costs 17s. Others, whose speeds ranged from 34 2-3 to 38 miles an hour, were fined from £1 to £3, and costs, according to the circumstances. Defended cases are being heard this afternoon. On the prosecution of the Franklin County Council, a motor-lorry owner, Les Franklin, was fined £ls and costs £2 Is, for using a lorry on county roads without a heavy traffic licence. He explained that the licence cost £l2. For failing to produce a driver’s licence Franklin was also fined 5s and i costs 17s. He explained that he had a ) driver’s licence, but he could not produce it who naccosted by the county inspector. He was given 24 hours to produce it at the county office, but did not do so. A service car driver, R. Hasted, was fined £3 and costs 10s for travelling at 40 miles an hour on the country road into Papakura.