THE DEATH PENALTY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21199, 25 June 1934, Page 9

THE DEATH PENALTY

TO THE EDITOR OF THE rBESB. Sir,—We who live in this land known as New Zealand cannot lay claims to being a humane and progressive people while the death penalty remains upon the statute book. One has only silently and deeply to ponder the effects and reactions upon the inmate of the condemned cell, to realise what a backward people we really are, and how barbarous and extremely unsocial is the whole procedure, practised upon a fellow human, branded as murderer. The most priceless thing in this world of ours is human life, and no matter the immensity of the crime committed, no state power can justify itself, in ordering and putting into effect the death penalty. Some countries in abolishing the death sentence, show decided social progress, which New Zealand could well follow. It would be useless to d'fend the actions and thought culminating in an individual committing murder; but for the state power to commit legal murder is as revolting as it Is useless, when measured in terms of social progress and welfare. Tb« potential murderer remains undeterred. at the prospect of facing the consequences upon the scaffold. So where is the wisdom, or the social necessity or justice, in adhering to this legalised murdering? The victim or victims of this mental degeneracy (described thus by reason of the fact that r sane and rational mind could

never allow murder) are beyond human aid, so why continue, with leg a* consent, destroying Ufa Other countries to the extent of 20 or more,' have evolved ways and means abolishing the death sentence, so why the necessity, for it in God's own country? Are we by our brutal methods towards our unsound of mind, ana otherwise unsocial elements, proving ourselves decidedly backward, or is there just a feeling of apathy towards all embodied in the death penalty? The crime of murder, whether premeditated or otherwise, will not be prevented or checked by the death sentence, and in continuing such an inhuman practice, we parade our apathy, ignorance, or brutality. I repeat that human life is the most priceless thing on earth and those members of our race committing the act of murder, should not themselves, in turn, be murdered by the state power. It is un-Christian, un-social, and parades us before the world as a backward people. Who, in his normal state of mind, and recognising the immensity of this action, would consent- to act in the capacity of hangman? Life once taken can never be restored. With the solemnity of death comes a clear understanding of that truth. Other ways and means are open to us to assist and justly treat those committing murder and until such methods are utilised we in this country cannot fend our backwardness, or our brutality.—Yours, etc., ACE June 23, 1934.