A SEVERE SENTENCE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9818, 30 August 1897, Page 6

A SEVERE SENTENCE.

TO THE KDITOB OF THE PRESS. Sra,—" A Father's " letter in Saturday's Press is to the point. I believe some time ago two Justices of the Peace in Christchurch made a serious miatetjKQ in, oversentencing three accused men. Wihen the mistake was clearly brought, home to them the Justices themselves made representations to the Government, and asked that the sentence be remitted, which was done. As it seems that Messrs Cooper and Gapes can offer no defence for what I term their receut error, the public have a right to expect that they shall follow the example in the former case and endeavour to undo the wrong which apparently they have committed. A large

number of people consider the sentettoa passed on the two men l M t week a cruel on? and I myself think it is unparalleled in local Courts. If they decline to do so, then our parliamentary representatives should take the matter at once in hand. I n ™ opinion not only should the convicted ,n2 be forthwith liberated, but the Ministe"f 0 Justice should be asked to instruct £ Uirwtchuroh police to expunge the conviction from the public records of the colony' I may add that the two men are 3 unknown to me.—Yours, & c ., q JUSTICE.