LIGHTS ON VEHICLES ACT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1918, Page 3

LIGHTS ON VEHICLES ACT.

BOROUGH PROSECUTIONS. At the New (Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, before Mr. A. Crooko, S.M., four cases for breaches of the provisions of the Lights on Vehicles Act were heard, the. informations being laid by the assistant borough inspector (Mr. E. C. King). The cases were as follow:

P. B. Fitzherbert, solicitor, New Plymouth, was charged with leaving a motor car standing in Brougham street on the night of May 21, between the hours of half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise, without having proper lights thereon. Defend-' ant pleaded not guilty. The inspector stated that on the night in question he found the car standing without any lights attached to it. The lamps were cold. He waited for about ten minutes and no one came to the car, so he moved away. Shortly after ho heard a noise like that of an engine being started, and on returning found Mr. Fitzherbert trying to start his car. It was a wet and stormy night.

Defendant stated that he had left his car standing in the street, but that the lights were on when he left it. When he came back he found the lights were out. He explained that the battery had given him some trouble, but that the night in question was the first occasion on which it had run down.

The Magistrate: The fact remains that there were no lights on the car when the inspector found it. Mr. Fitzherbert admitted that, but •claimed that the information disclosed no offence, as he was not in charge of the car when the lights were out. When he left the car the lights were on, but when he came back he found the battery had run down, and he at once started the lights again. He considered the rain had been responsible for short-circuiting of the battery. The Magistrate suggested that if defendant knew his battery was subject to climatic conditions he should have taken means to provide against that. Defendant repeated that it was the first occasion on which the battery had run down, and he had reasonable grounds for believing that there was sufficient current to keep the lights burning until his return.

The Magistrate accepted the emanation and regarded the occurrence as a bona fide accident, and the information was dismissed.

J. Kurta and F. Lansbnroitgh were each fined 10s (costs 7s) foT being in charge of vehicles in a public highway without having proper lights attached thereto.

A charge against a boy of M years of age, of riding a bicycle in Devon street after dark, without a light, was withdrawn by the borough inspector, who stated that when he saw defendant commit the offence he judged him to be much older. The Magistrate cautioned the boy against a repetition of the offence.