DRUNKEN MOTOR DRIVERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 March 1939, Page 6

DRUNKEN MOTOR DRIVERS

MUST BE PUT OFF ROAD. MR SEMPLE SPEAKS OUT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “I don't care how far you go. This disgraceful business must end,” said the Minister of Transport, Mr Semple, in indicating to the Road Safety Council yesterday that he would support to the utmost recommendations from it to ensure that the drunken driver was put off the road and kept off the road once and for all. - “It is unfortunate that it is not always the the guilty who suffer, but the innocent. Someone pays the blood tax,” said the Minister. “All the efforts of this council and of my own department have still had very little influence on these drivers. They are not fit to be on our highways. They are a menace. They are outlaws and potential murderers and must be treated accordingly.”

A proposal by the Commissioner of Police, Mr D. J. Cummings, that it should be made an offence for a person in charge of a car to take liquor, and an offence for any person to supoly liquor to a driver, was supported by members as the most likely method tc achieve the best results, but it was agreed, because of the far-reaching natur of the proposal, to refer it to a special committee consisting of the Wei-, lingtcn members to discuss and report to. the next meeting. A suggestion was also made that, as a,further deterrent, licences be suspended for much greater periods than at present, as offenders were more concerned about this than fines: also that a list of suspended persons be compiled and dealt with in the same manner as prohibition orders. It was agreed that the question of nenalties for intoxicated drivers should also be considered by the special committee for a report.