THE PROBLEM OF AXLE WEIGHTS.
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Last February the Radcliffe magiee trates reserved judgment in a case, heard at Radcliffe, when the Bleachers' Association and one of their drivers were summoned for a breaoh of the Heavy Motor Car Amendment Order, 1922, which states that "the axle weight of an axle of a trailer shall not exceed E4 tons, and the sum of the axle weight of all the axles of a trailer and of the heavy motorcar drawing such trailer shall not exceed 22 tons. The axle weights of the motor and traileras shown on the vehicles exceeded 22 tons.
At the first hearing the question arose whether the registered weight as painted on the vehicles represented the o24 actual axle weight of the vehicles as contemplated by the Amendment Order, or whether the Order meant the actual weight cast upon the road by each axle at the time of the offence; in other words, in order to prove the offence, the vehicles with the loads much be weighed, and if then it were found that the weight on each axle when added together exceeded 22 tons, an offence had been committed. The judgment held thnti the lregiateeed axle weights as painted, without the load being weighed, was not proof of the Order having been contravened.
The chairman of the magistrates, in giving his decision a few days ago, said that, in 'ender to save trouble and ex
pense to everybody concerned, counsel's opinion had teen taken, and the cases against the Bleachers' Association and the driver would be dismissed.
Mr. S. Garde (for the oeiendanta) asked for costs.. The defendants had been brought up for an offence whici did not exist. The police had an opportunity of knowing the law, and they had made a mistake. If the public Made mistake they had to pay, and the police should do so.
The chairman : One does not wish to penalize the police, and one has to recognize that, in the first instance, a plea of guilty was put forth, and, in consequence of that, the costs will uot be. allowed.