SMASH AFTER A DANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 656, 7 May 1929, Page 1

SMASH AFTER A DANCE

Merry Lorry Load Wrecked LOOKING FOR SUPPER—FOUND POLICE AFTER what must have been a hectic evening at a dance held at Orakei last evening, John Harvey Blong set out for Purewa to take a crowd of hilarious friends to have supper in the city. The police intervened after he had wrecked the lorry by running into a telegraph pole.

rpHIS morning at the Police Court Blong, a motor-driver aged 21, was charged with being intoxicated in charge of a motor vehicle in Remuera Road this morning. Mr. Alan Smyth appeared for him and entered a plea of not guilty. Tasman William Dufty, who was in the truck with Blong, was charged with drunkenness. He also pleaded not guilty, but was not represented by counsel. Sub-Inspector McCarthy told the story of what had happened early in the evening before the smash. Blong, who lived at the Public Weeks Department camp, Purewa, had driven a party from the camp to a dance at Orakei. His passengers were ail members of the Purewa Football Club, and it was admitted that they had consumed liquor at the dance. “On the way home,” continued the sub-inspector, “when rounding a bend, Blong collided with a telegraph pole. A man living nearby was attracted to the scene of the accident and called a constable, who is quite satisfied that Blong was intoxicated and that Dufty was drunk.” It was the opinion of the sub-inspector that all in the lorry were more or less under the influence of liquor. “They say a blowout caused the accident,” he continued, “but we think that the accident caused the blowout.” Mr. F. K. Hunt, SJM.: It is always a blowout. COMING INTO CITY Constable Mclnnes, who arrested the two men, said that, when he arrived on the scene, Blong Was leaning against a stone wall a*d Dufty was staggering about the road. Blong had a cut over the eye and had to be assisted into the car which took him to the station. Dufty also had to be helped in. “Blong was so drunk he did not know what he w?s doin* He was not. fit to be about on his own,” asserted the constable. Mr. Smyth explained that the accident did not occur on, the way back from the dance. Blong, with his lorry load, had arrived back at the camp when a number of passengers decided to come into the city for

supper. Blong was certainly not intoxicated. Harry Crack complained that there had been no supper at the dance and that the boys -were hungry. There was nothing to 'eat at the camp so they had set out for town, (fzen though it was one in the morning. Witness also considered that Blong was sober. He was driving well ahd the accident was the result of a blowout. The driver had been thrown through the wind-screen and was dazed from a cut over the eye. Nine, of the 16 who had been in the lorry on the trip from Orakei had stayed on to come in to towp. The Sub-Inspector: There was a lot of beer floating round at. the dance, was there not? Crack: I do not know. I had a lady friend I was more interested in than any beer. Nobody was the worse for liquor in the hall, but there is always a certain amount of liquor at these dances. Mr. Hunt: It ought to be stopped We used not to allow it in the country. ONLY ONE MUG Put in the box by Mr. Smyth, Blong described himself as a lorry driver. He had been driving for five years, and though he was doing jobs at the Public Works Department camp, his employer really lived out of Auckland. “I had one drink only,” he said. “That was a half-pint mug winch I had at 10.30.” Mr. Hunt: You waited until 10.30 before you touched the beer. I cannot believe that. I was young myself once. Both men were convicted and Dufty was fined £l, In default three days' imprisonment. For Blong, Mr. Smyth urged that he had never previously appeared before any court. He had been driving steadily for five years. Mr. Hunt: He was driving unsteadily this time. This is the third lorry-driver I have had up in two weeks. It must be stopped. Blong’s licence was cancelled for 12 months. He was .Vso fined £lO, in default one month’s imprisonment, being given seven days to find the money.