The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-03-10
LAD S DEATH MAY
CAUSE REFORM.
Investigation at Hilo Shows That
Willie Tavares Was Struck by
Auto Driven by Woman with
out License.
Mail Special TO The Advertiser.)

(Mail Special to The Adyertiser.)
HILO, March 5.--As result Of the
killing Of Willie Tavares, an eight-year-
old Portuguese boy, by a ear driven by
an unlicensed Japanese woman, who
claims she was learning how to drive,
a coroner 3 jury last week recommend
ed that persons SO learning be prohib-
tied from practising within the city
limits.
At the same time the police make
the claim that the chauffeur examiners
hamper them in their function Of pro
tectfng the public by issuing ehauf-
feur's certificates to persons who have
no right TO have them.
The accident took place last Thurs.
day afternoon on the Volcano road
close to the residence OF Manager
Forbes Of the Waiakea plantation, The
auto was driven by Japanese woman,
named Matsuda Seicha, but with her
was a Japanese man, named Y. Iva
motto, who was the regular driver Of
the automobile in which they were. The
car was going towards olaa, and the
boy was one Of number of school
children, who were returning from
school and who were playing tag on the
road as they went along
The woman and the man both testf.
fed that as they approached the chill.
dren, they sounded the horn, where
upon the children scattered out of the
way, but that when they were right be.
hind the Tavares boy, who had his back
to the auto, another boy tried to tag,
him, and in his effort TO avoid being
tagged the unfortunate little fellow
stepped back, directly in front of the
machine, which knocked him down and
killed him. The woman testified that
she was learning how TO drive, and that
she had no chauffeur = certificate.
The coroner's jury decided that il
might do some good to have attention
called to the abuse of the streets by
incompetent auto drivers, and the YER
diet read that the death was the result
of Fhemorrhage caused by blow on
the head accidentally inflicted with n
passenger automobile while being drfv.
en- by Matsuda Seichi, an unlicensed
driver. This jury would recommend IA
the proper authorities that the permit,
ting Of persons learning how TO drive
automobiles on streets within the city
limits be discontinued. .
OpIutJ ouofiu MdTIln, VINO has
shown considerable zeal in the matter
Of enforcing the automobile ordinance,
agrees with the jury that it is undesir-
able to have chauffeur pupils endanger.
ing the lives and limbs of an unpro.
tected community by allowing them to
practise where there Is much traffic. He
points out, further, that in enforcing
the law the police at times labor under
peculiar difficulties.
"You might do some good by calling
attention TO the fact that some per.
sons who have no right to have chauf.
feur's certificates, are given them
nevertheless by the examiners,v said
Martin. ''Take, for instance, the ease
Of several youngsters who are below
the age specified by the ordinance, but
who have been given them in spite of
that. What are the police to do, espe.
cfally as such offenses come under the
Jurisdiction Of the juvenile COURT Pos
sibly some Of these young ones can
drive as well as many Of their elders,
but 1t certainly prevents the proper en-.
forcement of the ordinance when chill
dren under the age specified by the or.
dinanee are given certificates by the ex.
aminers."