PUBLIC EVIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 243, 13 October 1936, Page 8

PUBLIC EVIL.

HIGHWAY KILLINGS.

MOTORISTS ON TRIAL. THE DUTY OF . JURIES. COMMENTS BY JUDGE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) TIMARU, this day. The Supreme Court session opened to-day, only twft criminal cases, both of alleged negligence causing death, being set down for trial. Addressing the grand jury Mr. Justice Northcroft said that killings on the highways had become a grave public evil, and such anti-social tendencies must be restrained by law. ' > Road accidents were largely due to thoughtlessness and to lack of consideration for others, said his Honor. The moral disapproval of the community must be expressed, and, the grand jury would realise how the public conscience could ha-ve a restraining influence. If the public conscience were developed and applied to the irresponsible motorist it would soon abate stupidity of action by careless motorists on the .highways. "It is important that juries should do their duty fearlessly and honestly; added his Honor,-"and thus by convict- i in 0 * sonic and impressing l upon otlicis . the enormity of the offence, actively i check the present dreadful tendency to take risks on the road, to the imminent danger of killing or maiming users of the roads."