DAY BY DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14492, 15 October 1920, Page 4

DAY BY DAY.

Despite repeated warnings from police, coroim:--;. judges Minor Motorists and premiers, the and motor maniac Motor Maniacs. pursues tlie e'en tenor of his way and continues to add to his long list of victims. It is almost a daily occurrence to read of serious or fatal accidents in some part of the Dominion, and Investigation in the majority of the cases goes to show that the exercise of reasonable caution and care would have averted disaster. What was apparently a particularly ilagranl case was reported in our columns yesterday from Wellington, and (lie remarks made by the coroner would indicate that (tie motorist concerned was actually courting trouble, for he seems to have completely run amok. Another case, in Poverty Bay moved the coroner lo make some strong comments on the iniquity of permilling young persons to have charge of motor "bars and to career about streets in which the tralllc is at times dense, and where coolness and judgment on the part of the driver are essential. The coroner considered that in the interests of public safety it is imperative that only competent an I mature persons should be permitted to he in charge of motors. Few there will be who will disagree with the coroner in question, for the number of motor mishaps is fast becoming a scandal, and while it does nut necessarily J

follow that discretion is always asso- j elated with maturity, wisdom is gene- ! rally regarded as an attribute of age, j

and an effort should certainly be made ; to eliminate the youthful irresponsible ' driver. A motor car, without doubt, is : a dangerous machine, and public safety demands that the risk of accident shall ,

be reduced to a minimum. It is not an j uncommon occurrence in the local ; centres to see motor cars In sole . charge of quite young boys and girls, ; who, in a case of sudden emergency, could not be expected to act with coolness and judgment, and they are j therefore a menace to the lives and

limbs of the King’s subjects. The time is certainly coming,—if, Indeed, it is not already here—when every person who drives a motor car should be required to possess a certificate of competency, and as a further precaution, it Should be laid down that such certificates shall not be issued to minors. This may seem drastic, and in some quarters may be resented as another proposed “interference with the liberty of the subject,” but the general public still have a right on the highway, and they are entitled to reasonable security whilst pursuing their legitimate calling thereon.

The report of (he Butter Commission has been submitted to Payment of the House, and it is the almost certain that the Butter Bill, price to the consumer will be fixed at 2s 3d per lb, which, according to the Premier, means in effect that the Government will contribute sixpence towards the cost of every pound of butter purchased by local consumers, It being estimated that the State’s butter bill will aggregate by the end of the financial year £600,000. Possibly this is the best arrangement that could be made under the circumstances, for it apparently ensures that the producer will not lose on the local market, while the consumer will get his butter supplies at a rise of 6d per lb, Instead of Is, as he anticipated; so both parties may be satisfied. It is not. improbable, however, that some thoughtful folk may realise that things are not exactly as they seem, as that £600,000 has to be raised by the people of the Dominion, which means that the consumer will be called upon to pay indirectly a portion of that which he escapes directly, whilst the producer still has the privilege of helping Ins neighbour to pay for his butter. The position is a'i illogical one, hut as it to sonip extent will ease the burden of the struggling family man and make a sma 1 levy nn the pockets of some of those with lighter responsibilities In order to do so, it will probably be accepted as a reasonable compromise; but it is not sound finance.