AN ERRING TAXI-DRIVER.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1920, Page 6

AN ERRING TAXI-DRIVER.

OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC. . A charge was laid against Win. Harris (Mr. C. H. Croker) by the Taranaki County ranger (Mr. B. Tippins), for whom Mr. Quilliam appeared, with unlawfully obstructing the passage of people along the AYaiwakaiho Road on March 4th.

Mr. Quilliam said the information was laid under a rarely used section of the Public Works Act. Defendant was a taxi-driver and ran to the show grounds on the day in question, that bteing People's Day at the Show. When he came out there in the afternoon, the County.' ranger, who had been directed to control the traffic, lold defendant to take up his position at the rear of the line of waiting taxis. He went there, but in a short time he came out of the lino in the direction of the head of the line. The ranger ordered him back but lie continued on and got in the way of other traffic- He went ahead, and got a load of passengers and went to town. He returned again to the show grounds and into the line of waiting taxis. While there he left his car and went to the gates of the grounds to solicit passengers, and in consequence, as the cars moved up as others left the stand, those behind defendant's car could not move up without coming on the outside of defendant's standing car, and in that wav his car caused an obstruction.

, Evidence was given by the inspector to this effect, and when cross-examined by Mr. Croker, there were several pas-sages-at-arms between witness and counsel, which afforded the Bench and those in the Court some amusement.

Mr. Croker did not submit any evidence, contending that defendant had gone where directed by the inspector, and if there had been any obstruction it could only have been momentarily, and he said the Public. Works Act was not designed to deal with such cases-. The Magistrate was satisfied- that an obstruction had been caused by defendant and imposed a fine of 20s (costs 28s).

The same defendant was then charged by the Borough Inspector (Mr. R. Day) with plying for hire from an unauthorised taxi-stand. When the case had proceeded some way it became necessary to adjourn the hearing till next week, as some of the submissions of the inspector, which Mr. Croker said he would admit, were disputed by the defendant.