MR. SEMPLE AND THE J.P.'S.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 6

MR. SEMPLE AND THE J.P.'S.

The Minister of Transport, Mr. Semple, proposes to discuss with the Minister of Justice the suggestion that all prosecutions brought against motorists for being drunk in charge, shall be heard by magistrates, and not by justices of the peace. The suggestion merits consideration, and is much more useful than the public scoldings which Mr. Semple has lately been giving some J-P.'s for dealing too leniently with motorists in particular case 3. There is obvious danger in a Cabinet Minister making public declarations of that kind. Almost every week, in some parts of the Dominion, sentences are passed which many people think are too severe or too lenient, but on the whole there is confidence that justice is done. It is, however, undeniable that the decisions of some justices are far out of harmony with those given by, magistrates in comparable cases, and if Parliament considers that the law should be so altered as to throw on the magistrates the responsibility of sentencing drunken motorists probably the public, and the motorists, and possibly, even the general body of J.P.'s, will approve.