UNLIGHTED VEHICLES.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1922, Page 6

UNLIGHTED VEHICLES.

MAGISTRATE CENSURES PRACTICE fTINES WILL BE INCREASED.” The disregard for the by-law requiring vehicles to be properly lighted up at night, was adversely commented on at the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning by Mr. A. W. Mowlem, S.M. “As I go through the district I find there is an immense amount of absolute neglect in the matter of unlighted vehicles,” said the Magistrate. “Time and time again men come before me, charged with riding motor-bikes at night without lights, and speeding along ae if there was no possible danger to themselves or anyone else. I have inflicted fairly substantial fines on those who did not use ordinary precautions, for it is a fact that some people have to be protected against themselves, against their own neglect and folly. Arising out of accidents with unlighted vehicles at night men have been charged with manslaughter. “Fines have been inflicted,” continued the Magistrate, “are paid, but not much notice seems to be taken. One would think that, the Court having drawn attention to the matter, a man would go and buy lights. It seems a

difficult thing to put wisdom into some people. It seems that the infliction of fines is not a sufficient bringing-home of the danger to themselves and to the public generally. “If fines do not meet the difficulty,” said Mr. Mowlem, “the question of imprisonment should be one for the consideration of the Court, though I do not suggest that this necessarily applies to the three cases of riding unlighted cycles at night which have been before the Court this morning. lam determined to see the by-laws carried out. If the present fines fail to meet the end desired, they will be till people learn that this particular by-law has to be obeyed.”