FINAL WARNING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 178, 29 June 1937, Page 2

FINAL WARNING

lAIPRISONAIENT WITHOUT OPIION. STATEMENT BY MAGISTRATE. “The doctor has stated that this is a border-Jme case. i have already given a warning, and the public had better take' it, that in these cases I intend, even with first offenders, to indict imprisonment without the option of a dne, until they stop. This comment was made by Mr J. L btout, in the _ -Magistrate s oourt yesterday, wlien dealing witti Harry John Knapp, a labourer, aged 41, of Shannon, wiio pleaded guilty to a charge that oil June 26. at Palmerston North, while m a state of intoxication, he was in charge of a motor truck ,in Cuoa Street. Defendant p.eaded guilty also--to a further charge of failure to possess a driver’s license. A third charge of driving in a manner which might have been dangerous to the public was withdrawn Senior-Sergeant Mclntyre said that at 5.20 p.iii, on Saturday, deiendatit backed a light truck out from the kerb right across Cuba Street to the opposite kerb, knocking down and passing over a cyclist who, though admitted to hospital, was fortunately nob seriously injured. Defendant employed in a construction camp at Shannon and between noon and 4 ]).m. on Saturday had had four long beers. Mr A. M. Ongiey, who appeared for defendant, said that the doctor’s examination of the latter had revealed a mild form of intoxication, Counsel added that defendant had obtained the loan of the lorry, which was not his own, to go on an errand. His was a border-line case, and he had only backed right across the road when he round he had knocked a man 'down. The Magistrate commented that bo had even seen sober drivers back across the road and turn round tho wrong way into traffic in Palmerston North. . . ' Deiendant was fined £ls, in default 21 days' imprisonment. He was ordered to pay £1 11s 6d medical fees and was prohibited from driving for a period of twelve months. Observing that the penalty was intended as a punishment, the Alagistrate ordered the first £5 of the fine, when time was sought for payment, to he paid forthwith and the balance at the rate of £5 a month. Deiendant was fined 10s, with 10s costs, on the charge of failure to possess a driver’s license.