DRUNKEN MOTOR-CAR DRIVERS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 100, 25 October 1930, Page 7

DRUNKEN MOTOR-CAR DRIVERS

; (To the Editor.) Sir, —lisii't ■it lime that this i'aree of fining men who have been found druuk in change of .motor-cars, and then taking away their licences, was stopped? In.your issue of even date, I note that a ■ "sales manager" who had been convicted and 'fined £25 for a similar offence at Wellington was to-day "fined £13 and costs by Mr. E.D. Mosley, S.M.,'and the accused's licence.was cancelled, and ■he-wa"s prohibited from-obtaining a new one for twelve months." ' - It is not my intention to criticise Mr. Mosley, 'who, no doubt, is an excellent Magistrate, other than to say that on this-occasion he seems to have erred, and erred seriously, on the side of leniency. There may have been extenuating circumstances, and.Mr. Mosley cannot use the Prees to reply, but your report does not disclose them: on. the contrary, it seems evident from the published facts that the .punishment is ludicrous. 'It would be highly interesting; if you could possibly have the. previous conviction investigated, and th<i date and circumstances, and the Magistrate's comments (if any) published. Your readers, the interested public, could then form for themselves an intelligent opinion on the whole situation. Every person who drives a car when he is'in such a condition, because of his over-indulgence in liquor, that he is not 'fit to control a car is a potential murderer, and should be treated as such. I have driven a car for more than ten years, and, while not a total abstainer, have made it an invariable rule not to touch alcohol in. any form foi' at least four hours before driving. I have suffered, both as a driver and as a pedestrian,, many narrow escapes from accidents through drunken drivers, and feel that the time has arrived when Magistrates throughout. the Dominion should take a firm stand in the matter. ' In a recent shop-lifting case-iu Auckland that fearless Magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, sentenced a ; woman to imprisonment; and "what reason did he give for so. doing? He said, in effect: "Once bei'ore ■ I sentenced a woman to imprisonment, and thieving stopped: this sentence ■will have the same effect." Is not the I endangering of human lives-r-of our little children :as well, as of adults—far more tlangefous to the' community? Should not, therefore, Mr. Editor, the punishanept be made to fit the crime. I would advocate that drunken motorists be sent to gaol (without regard to their standing • 5n the community) for at least fourteen days, for a-first offence.' The payment of a fine of even £100 is nothing to a wealthy man—and hardly acts as a deterrent (and mauy men get away for a year without being asked for a licence), .but if every motorist had in prospect a sojourn in gaol. for a period in the event' of - his being convicted of being • '<hr.unk in charge of. a car, he would hesitate before he wonld drink to excess. . I-venture-to hope, Sir, that you will see .'your ..way clear .to endorse this letter, and so, possibly, initiate a Dominionwide campaign for safer roads and saner driving. It is .my intention, should you publish this letter, to send a copy to each Magistrate •in the Dominion.—l am, etc., • HIGH TIME.