'THE BLONDIN STUNT"

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 127, 1 July 1929, Page 7

'THE BLONDIN STUNT"

MOTOR CYCLIST BEFORE THE COURT. A COSTLY TRIP TO TARADALE. A trip from Napier to Taradale on a recent evening proved somewbat costly for Bernard Franklin lorry driver, of Taradale wbo pleaded guilty tlirough Mr Y. Langley, in tbe Napier Poliqe Court before Mr A. M. Mowlem, S.M., tliis niorning. to a charge of riding au unregistered motor cycle 011 tbe Napier-Taradale road and of riding a motor cyclo without bis bands on tlie bandlebars. Senior-Sergeant Powell stated that the defendant was cauglit in the circumstances descvibed in the charges by Constable Gartley on a recent evening.- f Counsel for defendant statecl that be was a young fellow employed as a lorry driver over the Napief- Wairoa road, and bad statecl tbat be bad no use for the cycle and consequently liad not registered it. On tbis evening, however, be bad to use tbe cycle in place of the bus, as he bad missed tbe latbrr. He adniitted riding with bis hands off tbe handlebars. It was .a cold nigbt, and he had one hand in bis pocket to keep it warm, wliile be took the otber hand off tbe control for a moment to butten up bis coat. "Some of tbese defendants want protecting against tbemselves. If young fellows will clo tbe Blondin stunt along our main roads tbev know what to expect. In tliis case it would bave paicl tbe defendant a long way better to take a taxi to bis home " remarked tbe Magistrate, imposing a fine of £1 costs 10s. on tlie first charge, and of £2, costs 10s, on tlie second.