RECKLESS MOTORISTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1919, Page 6

RECKLESS MOTORISTS.

RIOTOUS BEHAVIOUR. AN EXEMPLARY PINE. What was described by Inspector Day as one of the most disgraceful and disgusting cases he had ever had to handle was heard in the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday by -Mr. T. A, B. Bailey, S.M., when John Pennington was charged with having driven a motor car in a dangerous manner along St. Aubyn Street and the iSonth Koad on the afternoon of Sunday, November 23. . *Tho Inspector said it had been ascertained that defendant, with six passengers in his car, left Eltham on the morning of the day in question, and came to New Tlyniouth via Opunake. By the time they reached Okato - they were very much 'under the influence of drink. They went to the hotel there, and had an altercation'.'with the proprietor, who refused to have them on his premises. They then came on to the Breakwater Hotel at about four o'clock, and a similar occurrence took place there with the proprietor of that hotel, 'fbere were a great many people about on that afternoon on account of-the Band Recital at Mr. Honeyfield's property. When the occupants' of the car were refused liquor *at the Breakwater Hotel they produced bottles from the motor car and commenced to drink out on the public road. By this time the people were leaving the band recital and there was a lot of traffic on the road. Those .who could not get on the tram cars were walking along towards town. Inspector Day said he was there and he estimated there were 400 or 500 people on the road. He saw five motor icars, driven by people who were perfectly sober, and going at about 15 miles per hour. Just then defendant's car came along at a furious speed, the occupants shouting and waving beer bottles to everybody along the road. He at once set off in pursuit, setting his stop watch going when the car passed a certain corner, and stopping it when it passed another corner. He marked the places so that he could measure the distance afterwards. It proved that they had covered 75 chains in 1 min 51-sec, which was equal to about 30.4 miles per hour. His own motor bike was a fairly powerful machine, but he could.not catch up to the car. The driver did not keep to his proper side of the road, which was, not a very wide one, and alon? the fwtrsrhe measured there were several "v •';

i:i the road and six intersecting streets. The Inspector came into town and found two of the passengers in front of the Criterion Hotel. They were very drunk, in a fighting mood, and abusive. He found the car and wanted to see if the driver was in a fit state, to lie in charge of a ear. lie was very much under the influence of liquor. Unfortunately, said the inspector, he;could take no action against the passengers, hut he did not hesitate to ask the Bench tq'make an example of defendant. Defendant pleaded guilty, hut denied he was going at the speed alleged by the Inspector. Witnesses who were in the car would be prepared to swear that the speedometer registered between 15 and 20 miles as they came down from the Breakwater. Ho did not know what the speed limit was in that part of the Borough. He had never come, in from that direction before, but knew that at Fitzroy end the speed' was 20 miles. The Magistrate remarked- that that was if it was safe, regarding other traffic on the road, to travel at 20 miles. He himself had been on the, Breakwater road .on the Sunday in question and knew •there was a lot of traffie at that time of the afternoonA line of £lO and costs . (l r s) «'ns imposed, in default one month's imprisonment. The Magistrate said he would double the fine if there wns any more of this' sort of thing. :