THE MENACE OF THE AGE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 17 June 1927, Page 4

THE MENACE OF THE AGE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —The amazing number of accidents and fatalities caused by motor convey 3 nces, of all .descriptions, which are a daily feature throughout the country land ever on the increase, would cause good to, come ouit of evil if they resulted in 'a public awakening to a menace which is now epidemic in its worst form. Things have (arrived at that pitch that no person is immune, and even the footpaths have become a source of danger. In. this little town, even with all the vigilance of the .police, the by-liaws are broken more on* less daily. The time has come for drastic measures, and if we all would do a little thinking we should find that the cost of living iis getting higher, and hospital and charitable aid rates increasing through the enormous destruction of life, liimifas and nerves that is going oil. How often do we .read that a fatal accident h|as occurred to la bread-winner, who has left a wife, and in many cases three, four, and even six children, behind. It makes one gasp to learn that the hospital and charitable .aid expenditure went up 40 per cent, in Wellington last year. Dunedin has again set the example in taking up this ever increasing rate in the Dominion. When the plague was with ns in 1918 .all sorts of measures were taken tQ combat it, and committees were functioning generally. The motor epidemio is really worse than the piague, in a sense, as it Will .remain permanent so long as the public are passive and indifferent. Laws should be enacted to prevent any person driving a car unless strictly sound in mind and limb, and with good eyesight and hearing, and of strictly. temperate habits. Although lam not a teetotaler I would gladly vote prohibition to-mor-row if the saving of life and banishing of disasters would result. It is no use people saying only one drink is harmless when in charge of a car. The vision must 'be affected more o.r less, according to temperament. • I would make “converting a car” an indictable offence., and any fatalities to other people, consequent thereon, (Should result in the offenders being tfied on the capital charge in the first place. Wake up, public! Your lives and health are daily menaced. Wake up local bodies and M’s.P.! Wake ip, clergy! No wonder people •are losing faith in religion and churches when numbers are ‘being swatted out daily like so many flies, and the sacredness of human life has lost its old significance. The time for remedial measures is now. Who will male the first move? There are elderly and infirm people in our midst who never know when they may be lcnocke.d out like a deaf dog. and; there are many harrow shaves that we never hear of nnlblicly.—l am, etc., 1 JONVEAY.