CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Sir, —My thanks to Opposition members, the “Listener,” and all those opposing capital punishment. It is time the “common hangman” in this so-called Christian democracy asked himself how his actions conform with Christ’s teaching. The distinction dravm between retribution and revenge is too fine, as is also the line drawn between murder and manslaughter. A thin line by which to separate death or three brief years' imprisonment. Government members would do well to take note of the official figures: 139 murders were reported for the 13 years before the abolition of the death penalty in 1935; for the 13 years, including 1948, 126 murders were reported, a decrease of 13. Surely a poor case for hanging as a deterrent. Murder is wrong and usually committed by a distorted or abnormal mind but when done in retribution it lowers the community to the murderer’s level. — Yours, etc., G. C. CARMICHAEL August 11, 1955.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19550812.2.57.2
Bibliographic details
Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27735, 12 August 1955, Page 8
Word Count
154CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27735, 12 August 1955, Page 8
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.