DRUNKEN DRIVERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 596, 29 July 1933, Page 5

DRUNKEN DRIVERS

(Press Assn. —

JUDGE SENDS MOTOR CYCLIST TO GAOL GROSS NEGLIGENCE

By Telegrapli — Copyright).

Palmerston. North, Friday. "You have pleaded guilty to an offence of a class V/hich,- unfortunately, is becoming very common in this country," said the Chief Justice, in sentencing Sidney Graham, a Maori (33) for negligently driving a motor cycle at Bunnythorpe on February 14, causing the death of Hapeta Raika Kereama and bodily injuries to Gordon Leslie Thompson and Julian Graham. "The position is such at present that the King's highway has become a place on which it is unsafe to be. That is a condition of affairs which must, if possible, be remedied." Later His Honour added: "I never think of sentencing a person to imprisonment for neglig-ence which amounts to no more, or little more than an error of judgment. I am justified in saying that that is the attitude of all judges. The position is different where the negligence is gross or culpable, or arises from the misconduct of accused in first getting into a state of intoxication, during which the negligent act is committed. That is exactly what you

did. You drove a motor cycle at night without a light on the wrong side of the road. A collision occurred with an innocent victim, and as a result of your culpable negligence one of your passengers was killed, another seriously injured and the rider of the other motor cycle was seriously maimed for life." A sentence of six months' imprisonment without hard labour was imposed. Prisoner's present license was suspended, and he was debarred from obtaining a license for a further three years.