The White Ribbon. “For God, and Home, and Humanity.” Wellington, February 18, 1927. DRUNK, IN CHARGE OF A CAR.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 379, 18 February 1927, Page 7

The White Ribbon. “For God, and Home, and Humanity.” Wellington, February 18, 1927. DRUNK, IN CHARGE OF A CAR.

Many years ago this Union was awake to the danger of mixing “Booze and Gasoline.” As long ago as 1917, a deputation from Convention waited upon Mr Massey, and asked that all drivers of trains, trams, engines and motor cars, also all Pilots should be total abstainers. The opinion of a leading Medical authority was Quoted, viz., “If a man takes only one tablespoonful of brandy he is drunk to the extent of a tablespoon, until nature had

‘eliminated the poison from his

system.’ “ But our Union was too far in advance of public opinion, and nothing was done. But to-day, every user of our highways is alive to the menace of the alcoholized motor driver, and it is not only women who are crying out for men to drive the traffic in our city streets and country highways. Mr Henry Ford pointed out that mankind must either give up alcohol, or modern industry and the motor car.

Our own magistrates, tired of the number of cases coining before them, threaten to impose heavier penalties on the next offender. Perhaps that next offender is not as glaring a case as those who have preceded him.

Now a Supreme Court Judge, has cancelled a driver’s license, and debarred him from ever holding one again. This is the first instance of a life disability to hold a license. But something will have to be done to render our highways safer for the travelling public. The toll of human lives is exceptionally heavy. We have a ghastly list of accidents day by day, and very* rarely does it happen that the evidence proves neither driver to have had a drink. Even one reacts of 4 or 5 or even more drinks admitted, but of course “he was not drunk.” Now there is a little machine, almost a toy, on which is wound a length of tape with figures of differ-* ent colours irregularly arranged. The tape rotates rapidly, and as it passes an open space of an inch or two, the person to be tested has to mark all the figures of one colour, say red. There is very little time to think. It always happens that the smallest dose of alcohol increases the number of wrong figures marked. There are other instruments for scientifically testing a man’s re-action time, but all give the same result. Alcohol increases the time between the seeing of an object and registering it on a machine. Alcohol in small doses, makes the brain slow r er to re-act, and just that second of time lost means the difference betw’een safety and destruction. During last month a motor salesman was prohibited from driving for six months, as well as fined. “He was not really under tin? influence, only four drinks;’’ so said his counsel, and urged that the man be dealt

leniently with because driving cars was his livelihood, and nothing previously against his character. But the Magistrate said. “It is not a question of character, but of public safety. There can be no leniency in these cases.” Just so, “Safety First” every time.

Another case in which the Magis-

trate stated that accused w r as not drunk in an ordinary sense, but w&£ under the influence of liquor, and not fit to drive a car. Fined and prohibited from driving a car until March 31st.

Another motorist admitted two “spots” at Eltham on bis way home. He crashed into another car standing off the road at Midhirst, and collided w r ith another car at Tariwi. He wished to fight the driver of the first car. His wife w r as a wise woman, and refused to travel with him after the first collision. “Drunk,” no, of course not! Disqualified for driving for 12 months.

Another case w*as of a business man 60 years of age, who drove down a main town street on his wron*' tile. He had only had four drinks, and it was not the quantity but the quality of the liquor which w*as to blame.

In view of these development:! and the probable increase of traffic in the near future, did not our Auckland Convention show foresight follow up this request by asking that person be a pledged abstainer before he is let loose on our highways au charge of a high-powered car? And, should not this Auckland Convention folio uj> this request by asking that the safety of the trawiling public, including pedestrians, be placed by Government before the divide! ds of the brewers. Our highways are now red w’ith the blood of murdered innocents, “butchered to swell the liquor seller’s coffers.’’