AN HOUR AT STAKE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 313, 26 March 1928, Page 11

AN HOUR AT STAKE

MOTORIST S DEFENCE SPEEDSTERS FINED (From Our Own Correspondent.) PAPAKURA, To-day. A successful defence to a charge of driving through Papakura at a dangerous speed was made by Samuel Richard Evans, of Auckland, in the Papakura Police Court to-day. James E. Morilleau, traffic inspector to the Papakura Town Board at the time of the alleged offence, said Evanss’s car travelled over a measured quarter-mile of the Great Soutli Road at 39 2-3 miles per hour at 6.45 a.m. on December 17. This was the day of the Waipa races, and the stream of traffic early in the morning attracted his attention. He commenced duty timing the cars as farmers with milk carts were also on the .road making it incumbent on traffic to observe a moderate speed. Corroborative evidence was given by Morilleau’s assistant. Evans said he went through Papakura at 5.45 a.m., not 6.45 a.m. He left Green Lane at about 5.15 and covered the 12 miles to Papakura in about half an hour. His speed was 20 to 25 miles an hour. He • arrived at Hamilton about 9.30 or 10 o’clock. Two passengers in the car also said they left Green Lane about 5.15 a.m., and came straight on through Papakura. It was explained that the third passenger, who was himself a traffic inspector in an Auckland suburb, was prevented by duty from being present ’ to give evidence. The magistrate, Mr. McKean, said there may have been a .mistake made by the Papakura inspectors and dismissed the information. He added that if the suburban traffic inspector who was in the car had anything fresh to offer as evidence he would be prepared to consider a rehearing. Fines for speeding were imposed as follows: H. M. Bull, 394 miles an hour, £3 and costs 15s; C. A. Rowe. 37 miles, £2 and costs 15s; A. Potter, 34 2-3 miles, 30s and costs 17s; C. W. McFlynn, 34 2-3 miles, 30s and costs 15s.

The case against T. R. Bloomfield, who is alleged to have travelled at 36 miles an hour, was adjourned for the magistrate to view the length of the road comprising the trap over, which Bloomfield was timed.