MOTORISTS AND DRINK

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 November 1934, Page 5

MOTORISTS AND DRINK

IMPRISONMENT COMPULSORY LONDON, October 8. Motorists were warned at the North) London Police-court on Saturday that magistrates were now almost coni pelled to send them to prison if they were charged with driving while under the influence of drink. Arthur Wright Coleman, 29, an accountant, of Chapel-road, Epping, was fined £5, with six guineas costs, for driving a car while under the influence of drink. He was also disqualified for 12 months and his license was endorsed. Mr. Samuel Pope, the magistrate, said lately there had been enormous stimulus to the question which arose out of motoring accidents. Some magistrates had been urged stimulated, encouraged and almost compelled to visit cases where people were intoxicated in charge of a dangerous machine like a motor-car with imprisonment. In his own court there had been two cases where it was necessary to impose imprisonment, the idea being not particularly to punish the individual, but to emphasise the seriousness of the offence. Public feeling was now so strong that he could tell things he would not like to tell in public. that were happening in connection with that matter, which ought to make every motorist pause before he trusted himself on the road after taking alcohol. It was becoming a serious matter even to have a meal in a restaurant and then drive home, because if any mishap occurred on the road, however unintentional, and his breath smelt of alcohol, the worst conclusions were formed, and he ran the gravest risks.