INTOXICATED MOTORIST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 May 1938, Page 8

INTOXICATED MOTORIST

HASTINGS FARMER FINED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NAPIER, May 30. Fines of £3O and £1 for having been intoxicated while in charge of a motor vehicle and committing a breach of his prohibition order were inflicted upon a Hastings farmer, Arthur Van Asch, in the Magistrate’s Court Napier, today, by Mr J. Miller, S.M. Costs totalling £24 15s 3d and 10s on the respective charges were also ordered to be paid, while defendant’s . current licence was suspended and he was prohibited from holding another for two years. For the police, Senior-Sergeant W. Fender stated that Asch was driving from Taradale to Hastings at 6 p.m. on May 9. He overtook a cyclist riding in the same direction and knocked him from his cycle. A lorry driver approaching from the opposite direction witnessed the accident. Defendant returned and rendered assistance and it was noticed that he smelt of liquor and was unsteady in his gait. After going to a nearby house to ring up defendant asked for a drink and swallowed two mouthfuls of ale. Dr. Will, Taradale, stated in evidence that when examined defendant was not in a fit condition to be in charge of a car. Asch, who gave evidence, said he had two whiskies and when going home was dazzled by the lights of an approaching lorry and overtook the cyclist, whom he did not see. In passing sentence the magistrate remarked that defendant was driving slowly on his correct side. Lights were approaching and as he was getting on in years he might not observe so readily, so that even without drink the result might have been the same. Still, he could consider himself lucky, as another court might not view the matter as lightly.