INTOXICATED MOTORIST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1939, Page 9

INTOXICATED MOTORIST

LANGDALE FARMER CONVICTED AND FINED. NO LICENCE FOR 12 MONTHS. Herbert William Buckeridge, a Langdale farmer, was find £lO, and his licence was cancelled for a period of 12 months, when he was convicted by Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., in the Masterton Magistrate’s Court this morning of being intoxicated in charge of a motorcar.

Mr C. C. Marsack, who entered a plea of guilty on behalf of his client, described the case as quite out of the run of ordinary intoxication charges. Senior-Sergeant G. A. Doggett said that at 7.15 p.m. on January 30 a complaint was received at the Police Station from a motorist that a car was being driven in an erratic manner between Eketahuna and Masterton. Later a constable found that defendant’s car had left the road near the Opaki Ramp and had crashed through a fence almost on the railway permanent way. With him was another young man, who was later convicted of drunkenness. Defendant admitted that he had taken several drinks at Dannevirke. He was certified as being drunk by a doctor. Mr Marsack said it was a singularly unfortunate case. Defendant had been driving for 2 years, and had never been before Court or been warned by police or traffic officers for even a trivial offence. On the day of the accident defendant had been to Waipukurau. At Dannevirke he had had four whiskeys. Crossing the Opaki ramp, a right hand tyre had blown out causing a sudden swerve to the right. There was no question of speed, and no trouble had been experienced on the earlier part of the journey.

Mr Marsack produced a medical certificate stating that defendant was suffering from a complaint which rendered him particularly liable to upsets by small quantities of alcohol, or emotional strain. His wife was in hospital and was likely to be there for some considerable time. Defendant was also worried by financial matters. Buckeridge did not know he was suffering from the complaint until he received the doctor’s certificate that morning. Damage amounting to £5l was done to the car, which belonged to Mrs Buckeridge. The accident at Opaki would inevitably have caused emotional stress which would have accentuated defendant's complaint mentioned by the doctor.

Mr Lawry said it was not a case that warranted a term of imprisonment. The fact that the accused had driven so far without trouble was in his favour, but against that his driving had been such as to attract the attention of another road user. He would take notice of the fact that defendant was not aware of his complaint until this morning. He convicted and fined Buckeridge £lO, endorsed his licence and prohibited him from obtaining another one for a period of 12 months. Defendant was also ordered to pay 10s Court costs, and £1 Is medical expenses. He was allowed 6 weeks in which to pay.