OLD JUNK CARS.

Southland Times, Issue 22961, 6 August 1936, Page 7

OLD JUNK CARS.

To the Editor.

Sir, —I was pleased to see by your paper a few days ago that I was receiving support from someone signing himself “Another Supporter of Old Junk.” I must compliment him on his admission that he also has the gift of sight. The defence by “Four Wheeled Brakes” of Mr Semple’s courageous action is very amusing. It is merely another name for an unwarranted interference in the privileges of people who are quite aware of their own safety or otherwise. He makes reference in his letter to headlights. Although not an owner or a driver of a car, I have been driven thousands of miles by other people since cars first came into vogue in Southland, and my long experience confirms that if the headlights on all cars were less luminous, there would be fewer collisions but I conclude that “Four Wheeled Brakes” has not had a great deal of night driving. Now, sir, admitting that Mr Semple is of an inquisitorial disposition he should have turned to first things first, and paused to ask himself what causes most motor accidents. Seeing he is so solicitous of the people’s safety, let him tighten the liquor laws and insist upon more severe punishment than that which has been imposed in cases where liquor has been the cause of death or injury. It is little use blaming the publican, for if one will not supply a driver, another will, and if the last one will not supply him, the soaker can always find someone to get it for him. Long terms of imprisonment and cancelled licences are the only way to save life and limb. lam not a publican and I hate the traffic, but my sympathies are in a way with the publican. Speeding is the next bugbear of the. roads, whether it be by cars or motor bicycles. There are odd cases where it may be excusable, but in many cases it is too much acceleration. I am writing mainly of cases of accidents where liquor is proved to be the cause. It is not only the tippler who speeds. I have sat beside many men and women who are total abstainers, but who have speeded home at 45 miles an hour, to do nothing when they get home. I say that anyone exceeding the 30 miles an hour limit should be given gaol without the option of these paltry fines. If a man with a good horse and trap were seen suddenly flying along Dee street at 20 miles an hour, with the horse properly under control, the police would be after him like a shot. I do not want to be funny, for there is nothing funny about this. A great deal of misery and unhappiness is caused by the unfair method of dealing with drunk or half drunk drivers. In conclusion, I would urge Mr Semple to turn his attention to first things first, and leave intelligent, sober people to safeguard their own interests by their own judgment of the fitness or otherwise of the old lizzie. As for “Four Wheeled Brakes,” I see very little in his letter to dwell upon, for he has introduced some quite irrelevant points that have no bearing on the subject.—Yours, etc., OLD JUNK, NO. 1. Invercargill, August 5, 1936. (This correspondence is now closed. —Editor, The Southland Times.)