DEFYING THE INSPECTOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1917, Page 7

DEFYING THE INSPECTOR.

TWO MOTORISTS FINED. Two motorists were olmrgeil. before Messrs. J. W. TSoon and J. T!. Hill, •T's.P., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday with failing to obey the instructions of the traffic inspector, Mr .B. fippins. The defendants —E. R. Cattley, taxidriver, Xew Plymouth, and V. J. Leetham, hotelkeeper, Hawera—did not appear.

Mr. .T, IT; Qnilliam, who conducted the prosecution, said Cattley's offence occurred on December 27, the second day of the races. The inspector was statipned at the corner of Devon and Currie Streets, regulating the traffic. AH the taxi-drivers were furnished nfitli i plan of the route to he observed Contrary to the warning given, the defendant Cattley drove up Currie Street, ajul caused a congestion of the traffic. He defied the authority of the inspector. Counsel said the oll'enee was regarded as a very seriou? one, indeed. A statement of the ciicunistances was given by the inspector. Cattley was convicted and fined 10s.

The borough solicitor observed that the penalty would not buy paint for one of the wheels, and that the Bench did not seem to realise that the breach was deliberate one.

The Bench replied that the offence was the first that had been committed in Xew Plymouth. The ea;e of Leetham was described as a more serious nature, than the first. Besides breaking the by-law in defiance of the inspector's warning, the defendant aggravated his offence by arguing with the inspector about a previous Court case, and in doing so be stopped the traffic for some minutes.

In imposing a fine of £l, the Bench remarked that the. penalty must be regarded as a nominal one, and that future breaches of the kind would meet with more serious punishment. The costs included r solicitor's fee of £1 is in each case.