DRIVER OF BUS FINED £50. FOR NEGLIGENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 August 1947, Page 2

DRIVER OF BUS FINED £50. FOR NEGLIGENCE

(P.A.) NAPIER, August 11. Denby Boyd, a bus driver, who was found guilty in the Supreme Court on four counts of negligent driving of a bus, thereby causing the death of five persons, and on seven counts of negligent driving, thereby causing bodily injury to seven others, was fined £5O, in default four months’ imprisonment with hard labour on the first counts, and ordered to come up for sentence on the remaining counts if called on within three months. His present driving licence was cancelled and he was prohibited, from obtaining another for five years. Mr Justice Smith said he recognised the prisoner’s previous good record as a driver. The evidence showed clearly that he was on the wrong side of the road and that his lookout was not sufficient for the conditions of driving rain which he met. “From the public point of view the collision was very serious,” said his Honor. “You were responsible for a grave disaster on the public highway to a bus plying for hire. In all the circumstances I do not think I should impose a sentence of imprisonment. On the other hand I must mark the severity of the disaster and show how great is the public interest in the safe driving of vehicles plying for hire.” ,