CHARGE DENIED

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20990, 18 December 1939, Page 13

CHARGE DENIED

FAILURE TO GIVE WAY FINE FOR MOTORIST (Special to Times) TE AROHA, Thursday. Stating that he had been driving for 15 years without having had a conviction entered against him, John Sullivan Mr F E Burns), salesman, of Auckland, pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to give way, brought in the Magistrate’s Courl this morning before Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M. D. E. Morris, traffic Inspector, gave evidence that on November 1 he was driving from Ngatea towards Paeroa when lie came up on defendant driving in the same direction, upon the crown of the road. Witness gave the signal for the defendant, to give way but defendant ignored the signal and accelerated, soon afterwards swerving farther out onto the road to pass a cyclist. Witness sounded his siren and defendant stopped. The defence was a complete denial of the charge. Giving evidence, the defendant siated that he was proceeding on the correct side of the road when he heard a car behind. As there was plenty of room to pass lie did not change his position on the road. He denied having increased his speed, and said that to pass the cyclist lie had to swerve a little farther out. It was then that he heard the siren and stopped. Witness said iho inspector challenged him only on his speed, and not Tor failing to give way. It was only later when he looked at the ticket that he discovered the charge was not for speeding. He denied that the inspector had mentioned anything but the excessive speed. The magistrate remarked that the public must be protected from such people who ignored the rule.-, of the road, and fined defendant £5 and costs.