Driver Who Failed to Stop

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 179, 1 August 1938, Page 5

Driver Who Failed to Stop

JUDGE’S CONDEMNATION OF DEFENDANT’S ACTIONS

MENACE ON THE ROAD CHRISTCHURCH, July 28. Stressing that it was the Bench’ duty to protect the public from reckless motorists, Mr. Justice North'croft, in the Supreme Court sentence! Vivian Harvey Were, who admitted fail ing to stop the car he was driving after on accident, to 32 months’ reformative detention, ordered his driving license to be cancelled, and declared him un6 to hold a license for five years. On oehalf of Were, counsel submitted that Were’s was a minor instance of the offence, the car he was driving having merely grazed another. There was no suggestion of anyone being injured. Were had been before the Magistrate’s Court on several occasions for motoring offences, counsel admitted, and the probation officer’s report was against him. “This was not a trivial offence,” said his Honour to Were. “You were driving in a violently, reckless, irresponsible and indecent, manner, and did not run aw'ay, as some drivers have done impulsively, but possibly having your previous convictions in mind, continued on, contrary to the pleadings of your own companions. who begged you to stop. It is not your fault you did not leave someone seriously injured to lie in agony on the road.” Were had been before the Court, said his Honour, twice for driving offences involving negligence, twice for converting cars, and twice for driving without a licence. “You are a menace to other people on the road,” continued his Honour. “Your’s is the sort of case the legislature had in view when this Act was passed. I feel cast upon me the grave task of protecting the public from motorists who drive as recklessly and negligently as you have done.”