MOTOR CONTRIBUTION

Evening Star, Issue 23092, 19 October 1938, Page 15

MOTOR CONTRIBUTION

THE CRIMINAL CALENDAR AN UNDUE PROPORTION (Pbb Unitcd Pbm* Ahocutioh.J HAMILTON, October 18. “ There are bills in seven criminal cases before you. and one lamentable feature of the calendar is that of these seven cases four embody charges of reckless or negligent driving causing death or serious bodily injury,” remarked Mr Justice. Blair in his charge t» the grand jury in the Supreme Court at Hamilton to-day. In three of the motor accident cases, His- Honour went on, death had resulted from the accident, and serious bodily injury in a fourth case. Considering the size of the calendar, these cases constituted an undue proportion of the criminal business. The balance of the criminal charges, continued His Honour, comprised only three cases, and none was of a grave character. Apart from the number of cases involving negligence, there was ground for congratulation in the calendar, since it was entirely free from cases of violence, sexual offences, or sifnilarly serious crimes. True bills were returned on all indictments, the accused for trial being Chatles Shaw, alleged procuring and forgery and uttering; Clarence Desmond Lawless, alleged theft; Douglas Wright, alleged theft; N. G. Hong, alleged negligent driving; Mervyn Halsey Moolven, alleged negligent driving, causing death; Thomas Lewis Joseph Neill, alleged reckless driving, causing '<•*;» th.