Motorists Oppose Commissioner’s Plan

Northern Advocate, 24 September 1949, Page 6

Motorists Oppose Commissioner’s Plan

CHRISTCHURCH. Sat. (P.A.)—“We won’t stand for this. Why should the chief canon of British justice be changed just because a Commissioner of transport thinks the responsibility for accidents to children under school age should rest entirely on motorists?” said Mr W. R. Casey, retiring president of the South Island Motor Union, at its annual conference in Christchurch yesterday. He was referring to a suggestion by the Commissioner of Transport (Mr G. L. Laurenson) at the North Island Motor Union conference at Hawera, that in accidents to young children the driver should be considered guilty of negligence until his innocence was proved. “I admire an efficient public service, but I firmly believe that it should take direction from the public as a whole. I think the commissioner forgets hirnsclf," said Mr W. Brown, president of the North Island union. A stream of protests had come from motorists and the public. Automobile Association members rated road safety as highly as anyone in the country, said Mr Brown. Indeed, their road safety campaigns had done as much as any other agency to keep accidents down. After unanimous endorsement of these views. Mr Carey said it seemed that motorists generally were astonished at the report that the onus of proving innocence might be placed on motorists. Dr S. A. Gibbs iNe'son) said that at the outset the proposal was a direct infringement of the liberty of the subject under British law. “It is scandalous." said Mr L. C. Chaytor (Marlborough). The only effect of such a law would be to make a motorist, involved in an accident panic and bolt. A committe was formed to prepare a case vigorously opposing the proposal, and a united front will be shown by the North and South Island Motor Unions, representing members of all automobile associations throughout the country.