In a motor car prosecution at H. M, Police Court on Thursday Mr. G. W. King ruled that the by-law quoted could not apply on a municipal road, and accordingly dismissed the case.
The defendant was Lieut. M. L. Vernon, R.x., of H. M. S. Cricket, and he was' summoned for having furiously driven ear No. 1588 along North Szechuen Road at 2 a.m. and again at 4.15 a.m. on the 2nd instant.
Inspector Kinipple. who appeared for the police, stated that the police witness in connexion with the first case was in hospital and could not give evidence. In the second case, the facts were that the defendant's car was driven at a fast pace towards a_ working party engaged in repairing the tram rails, only half of "the road being open to traffic. The car did not slow down and the workmen had to jump aside to avoid being run over. The car returned shortly afterwards, and was still travelling ata very fast pace.
'P. C. Barry estimated the speed of the car at between 25 and 20 miles an hour. To be safe, it should have passed the workmen at less than ten miles an hour. The car returned two minutes later, travelling at the same speed. it contained seven or eight foreigners, and one of them, standing on the footboard, snatched at the red lamp which the working party was using. The driver sounded his horn twice on the first approach, but not afterwards, Defendant suggested to witness that if he had been travelling at 25 miles an hour it would have been impossible to have pulled up and returned in two minutes.
The inspector asked that the two summonses be taken in conjunction.
His Worship—If you have no evidence in the first case, it must be withdrawn.
tramway coolie who gave evidence was asked how fast the car was travelling. He replied: Faster than other people's cars.
His Worship—Was it going as fast_as a wheelbarrow?
Witness—Faster than a tram car. but slower than a fire engine.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.