"MENACE TO LIFE”

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 139, 7 March 1936, Page 10

"MENACE TO LIFE”

flon. R. Semple on Road Fatalities SALUTARY PENALTIES Need of National Control “Men who ignore the rules of the road are potential murderers, and should be dealt with,” deciared the Minister of Transport, Hon. RSemple yesterday when questioned on the abnormal record of motoring ’ fatalities in New Zealand and other countries. “Men who are found intoxicated when driving cars should have their licenses cancelled. They are a menace to life.” “You can take it from me,” Mr. Semple said, “that I am right out after the speed hog and the drunken driver. As Minister of Transport I am responsible for the administration of the laws and regulations dealing with the con trol of motor traffic. I have been struck by the enormous burden of human loss and suffering that result from motor accidents, and I intend to take steps to improve the position. I have had an analysis made in respect of the current position. This shows that for the 12 months ended December 31 last there were 168 fatal road accidents, involving 178 deaths, as compared with 171 accidents and 175 deaths for the previous year. “I am satisfied that the lac|t of complete control of our motor transport system contributes to the number of accidents, fatal and otherwise. We have in New Zealand hundreds of local bodies, and these appoint a number of traffic inspectors, some of whom are only part- • time, acting as sanitary inspectors, pound-keepers, and so on. Traffio control is looked on by them as a side-line. Each one of these bodies, too, has its own by-laws for traffic. Such a position is absurd. “There should be one national set of by-laws governing the control of traffic from the North Cape to the Bluff, and in my opinion to police the roads as they should be policed traffic control should be entirely under the direction of the State, either by the Police Department, strengthened by the appointment of competent inspectors, or by the Transport Department. “This would give a greater measure of national- control under a uniform set of by-laws or regulations, and would no doubt minimise the number of road accidents that take place to-day. "A motorist leaving Wellington would then know the speed limit from one end of the country to the other. As it is to-day, there are different speed limits in different places, and confusion takes place. Very often the inspector is looked on as a revenueproducer who adopts all kinds of methods to trap the legitimate motorist. In other districts which are not policed as they should be the speed-hog goes unchecked. Government Control. “Before we can expect to reduce the number of fatal accidents on our roads —and they are far too many—we have to aim at better control, and that can only be done by the Government taking the matter into its own hands. What is everyone’s business becomes no one’s business, under the present system, and to have control divided among 303 local bodies will not bear examination. I propose to deal with the question this session.”

Mr. Semple stated that in his opinion the penalties for specd-hogs and drunken drivers were far too lenient. When these men were brought before the Court the penalties should be severe and their tickets cancelled for life.

“What we have to aim at is to reduce the appalling accident figures, and that can be done only by severe penalties and national control. I am not going to sit here and allow people to be needlessly slaughtered. It must be prevented, and it is going to ’bo prevented. “Of course, some unforeseen accidents might happen, however cautious you may be. but the present percentage is really staggering, and I seek the cooperation, not only of the motoring people, but of the community, to help prevent this needless slaughter.” Fool-proof Preventives. The Minister said that the most striking prima facie conclusion emerging from a detailed analysis of the position was that just over 60 per cent, of the major causes" of fatal accidents involved breaches of tlie traffic laws. “Had the laws-been observed,” said Mr. Semple, “it is reasonable to assume that the fatal accidents caused by the breaches would not have happened. To secure better observance of the traffic laws it appeai-s essential that there should be efficient machinery for their enforcement. In other words, those who break the law, whether motorist or pedestrian, must be made to realise that they are creating a public danger and must expect appropriate penalties. “I say emphatically that I cannot accept the presfent position with complacency. Imagine a catastrophe that killed just under 200 of our citizens and maimed and injured thousands of others. Would not the most searching inquiries be made and fool-proof preventive methods applied?”