"MORE IN THE BREACH"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 14, 17 July 1939, Page 11

"MORE IN THE BREACH"

JUDGE'S CRITICISM

STOPPING FOR PEDESTRIANS

The importance of enforcing the regulation which requires motorists to

give way to peedstrians on marked crossings was stressed by Mr. Justice Reed during his charge to the Grand Jury at the opening cf the quarterly Supreme Court session today.

"Whether there are difficulties in the way of enforcing it I don't know," said, his Honour after 'quoting the regulation, "but personal observation, and others must have noticed it, shows that the regulation is honoured more in the breach than in the observance." There was a large proportion of decent motorists, continued his Honour, who would slow down when they saw a pedestrian on the crossing, but a large number of others seemed to have no regard for the rights of pedestrians and dashed past them on crossings. He did not know whether there were any difficulties in prosecuting persons for doing that, but something should be done to stop it, particularly as tlie Exhibition was coming on in Wellington and there would be a large number of strangers coming to the City from places where the regulation was enforced. "Otherwise we will have people killed or injured during the time that strangers are in Wellington," said his Honour. "People living in Wellington know they can't always rely on vehicles stopping when they are on the crossings, but strangers who don't know that may suffer."

JURY'S PRESENTMENT.

Upon its return from consideration of the cases, the Grand Jury made a presentment "that the existing laws covering the rights of pedestrians on crossings be more rigidly enforced with , the idea of affording more protection to pedestrians." "I think that is a very wise suggestion," said his Honour. "I shall see that it is transmitted to the proper quarter."