MOTOR COLLISION.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 July 1919, Page 6

MOTOR COLLISION.

INTOXICATED TAXI-DRIVER FINED. As tlie outcome of the collision which took place, at To Hcnui on Monday even, in;,' between a motor car and a motor 'bus, a jiiiin named Jolin AYoollctt, who was recently granted a tax. l !-driver's license, was charged, before Mr, McCarthy, S.M., in the local court yesterday with having been drunk whilst in charge of a motor car. He pleaded guilty. Sub-Inspector Hu.tton, who prospoiled, outlined the facts, which showed that about (i.iiO on Monday evening AV collet was engaged to take a passenger from town ,to Vitzroy. He went along Devon Street safely until near Watson Street, when he appeared to lose control of his car, which crashed into a motor bus coming from Wnitara to New Plymouth. There were six passengers in the 'bus, hut, though the impact was a very severe one, fortunately all escaped injury, with the exception of one passenger, whose hand was rather severely cut Both vehicles were considerably damaged, and some idea of the force with which they came together may be gleaned from the fact that the efforts of about a dozen men failed to separate them, and a .tram car had to be requisitioned for the purpose, The police were notified, and Constable Nolan took the driver of the motor car in charge, whilst Constable Hadler supervised the removal of the vehicles. Sub-Inspector Hutton considered that accused should deem himself fortunate in that he did not hare to answer a manslaughter charg.e The magistrate, in inflicting a fine of £5, or in default one month's imprisonment, remarked on the damage to the public resulting from a car driver becomin" intoxicated.