drink-driving on board a Hamilton to Somerset shuttle service.

A five-minute Magistrates' Court hearing was told Everard Outerbridge, 47, had been arrested on board the Patience ferry last month on suspicion of being impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis said Outerbridge, of Rocklands Crescent, Warwick, faced a further charge of refusing to give Police a breath test.

Outerbridge, who appeared in court wearing his blue Marine and Ports uniform, pleaded not guilty to both charges.

He also told the court he intended to hire a lawyer and the case was adjourned until December 23 to set a trial date.

Outerbridge, released on $500 bail, was represented in court by defence counsel Tyrone Chin.

After his arrest, a Marine and Ports spokesman said no action would be taken until after the legal proceedings.

MURDER TRIAL ON MONDAY CTS Murder trial on Monday The Supreme Court trial of a father accused of murdering his little girl is expected to begin on Monday.

Damon Quincy Deroza, 20, of Cedar Hill, Warwick, is charged with the premeditated murder of his five-year-old child, Lynae Brown.

The girl's body was found floating in Hamilton Harbour, near Longford Road, Warwick, on November 20 of last year.

Deroza was remanded in custody until Monday's trial, when the question of whether he is sane and fit to plead is likely is likely to be raised.

CALL AMBULANCE INSTEAD OF TAXI CTS Call ambulance instead of taxi A taxi driver, who this week appeared in Magistrates' Court for speeding, made an appeal to residents to call the ambulance rather than a taxi in an emergency.

Edward van Putten, 53, of North Street Pembroke, pleaded not guilty to driving at 76 kph.

Van Putten admitted that he had been speeding, but said it was because of a medical emergency.

He told the court that he was on his way to Hamilton Parish Recreational Club to pick up someone for a medical emergency when he was stopped by a Police officer.

Van Putten said the officer told him "you don't speed for passengers, get an ambulance''.

He added that many people called taxis instead of the ambulance when there was an emergency. Van Putten did not mention the nature of the alleged emergency.

But Senior Magistrate Will Francis advised him that he should think of his licence first.

He then ordered Van Putten to return to court on February 6, 1998 for trial.

PEMBROKE MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY CTS Pembroke man pleads not guilty A Pembroke man who denied obstructing a Police officer will be tried in Magistrates' Court on April 7.

Malcolm John Roderick Ming, of Ridgeway Road, said he would call "one or two'' witnesses after pleading not guilty yesterday.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis said Ming, 43, was charged with "obstructing a Police officer while he was exercising his powers under the Misuse of Drugs Act''. Bail was set at $500.