CRASHED INTO POLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 923, 17 March 1930, Page 1

CRASHED INTO POLE

DRIVER FINED £25 FOR INTOXICATION CAR BADLY DAMAGED The sequul to a bad crash in Takapuna on Saturday evening when j* motor-car was damaged beyond repair through colliding with an electricpower pole, was heard in the Police Court this morning. Thomas Macki© was fined £25 for being intoxicated in charge of a motor-car. and his driving licence was cancelled for 12 months. Muckie, a dental mechanic, aged 37, was represented by Mr. Singer, who entered a formal plea of not guilty. The facts were admitted, lie said. bu r there were circumstances in the case which might justify' the magistrate in deciding not to enter a conviction against the accused.

The charge was a sequel to a bad crash, according to Sub-lnspector McCarthy. Acused’s car had collided witli a power pole. Whether the accident was due to a defect in the steer-ing-gear or whether it was that accused was steering badly through the effects of drink, the sub-inspector wa> not prepared to say. W illiam Godfrey Reid, a€. Lomond Street. Taka puna, gave the time of the accident as 6 p.m. Ho had heard the* crash from his home and hurried to Anzac Street, where he had seen a badly damaged car against the power pole. Witness had asked Macltie if ho was hurt, but the man did not. seem to understand and surveyed the wreck of his car without comment. “I later decided he was under the influence of liquor,” witness concluded. BADLY DAMAGED Constable Wood described the seen** of the accident when he arrived there at about 6.3 5. The car was badly damaged. Judging by the marks on the road, witness would say the driver had taken too wide a curve to gel round the corner properly. Th« car had evidently' skidded across tin' road, and struck the kerb, where the wheel** had collapsed. Marks on the asphalt footpath showed that the car ha*d travelled an additional 24 feet on the spokes of the wheels before striking the post. Arriving at Maekie’s at Milford about G. 20, witness had talked to the man and came to th»* conclusion he was under ti»v- influence of liquor. He had taken Muckie to the Dcvonport police station. The ear had been seen earlier in the day outside an hotel on the Xorth Shore.

Accused, Mr. Singer said. was a married man with three children and had never previously been before the court. He had been driving only m few weeks, as he had bought the car at Christmas time for £IH». lie had had only two drinks all day and was not under the influence of liquor when the accident occurred. The car had a- habit of skidding. “There is more than a reasonable possibility that he was not under the influence of liquor when he struck the post,” added counsel. “It is not tae usual type of ease.” “I can’t see anything very different from the usual.” commented Mr. W. n McKean. S.M. “Accused turned th* corner in a wav that would suggest he was not in the full possession of his faculties. It Las been an expensive episode for hirn. though I doubt whether I should take that into consideration.” Mackie was fined £25 and his driving licence was cancelled for a year. He was ordered to pay costs, £1 4s 6d, and given 21 days to pay.