CHARGE DISMISSED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 204, 30 July 1937, Page 8

CHARGE DISMISSED.

DRIVING AT 80 MILES A NHOTIR, Per Press Association. TIMARU, July 29. That a speed of 80 miles an hour is not always dangerous was the ruling given by Mr H Morgan, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. He he d that such a speed for an efficient highpowered car handled by a competent driver on a straight, clear stretch ot road without intersections was not dangerous to the public. The case, which was a test one, was one in which Thomas O. Fox, Timaru borough engineer, was charged wutn driving at a dangerous speed at be - wyn, 20 miles south of. Christchurch It was stated that be bad travelled at 80 miles an hour. Evidence was given by a Transport Department traffic inspector that Fox was driving carefully and that the road surface was good. He had slowed down at an intersection, and when passing a service car, which was throwing off papers to children on the roadside, he had reduced his speed to 20 miles an hour His speed had been increased to SO miles an hour on a straight, clear stretch of rend with no intersections and verv little traffic. In witness s opinion, “Fox was a competent driver, probably above the average. The inspector said that the Transport Department held as a question of prinoinle that from 69 to 80 miles an hours was dangerous on any class o. The Magistrate said it was for the Legislature to fix a maximum speed. It had not been proved to his sat sfaction that in the circumstances the speed of 80 miles an hour was dangeious He informed the inspector that his decision could he tested in the Supreme Court. The charge was dismissed. .