TRAFFIC BY-LAW FINES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 42, 21 January 1944, Page 4

TRAFFIC BY-LAW FINES

READERS who scan the list of penalties imposed on traffic offenders at the last sitting of the Whakatane Court, will probably like us, be somewhat at a loss to explain the differences in the fines inflicted under one section brought by the Transport Department and under the other, brought by the County Inspector, for an identical offence. The explanation is simple. When the County Inspector prosecutes,, the unfortunate defendant is hurdled with a further 10/6 solicitor's fee, which does not apply under prosecutions brought by the Department. Whilst recognising the reason for the. increased fine we fail utterly to see its fairness. Why should one man who is charged with failure to possess a warrant of fitness be charged 10/6 extra costs merely because he happens to be confronted by the county officer. Under the British code of justice, every effort, we understand has been made to initiate penalties which are models of uniformity and calculated to fit the case in point. Yet month after month this disparagement in court costs, goes on apparently all over the country. Why? There are two obvious remedies (1) to overcome the necessity of having a solicitor, by allowing the inspector to prosecute: personally as under the Transport Department, and which he practically does now in any case, and (2) by reducing the fine in order to offset the increased costs. Either of these appear to be a fair and practicable means.