PENALTY FOR VANDALS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29624, 21 September 1961, Page 14

PENALTY FOR VANDALS

Council Seeks Increase

The Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) will be asked by the City Council to provide legislation for more severe penalties for persons convicted of vandalism.

This was one of the decisions of the council last evening after it had considered the report of a sub-commit-tee which discussed vandalism in city parks and reserves. It drew attention to the standing offer of a reward of £lO to anyone supplying information leading to the conviction of anyone for vandalism. and agreed that the offer should be displayed on notices in parks and reserves. The electricity committee had been asked to investigate the possibility of improved lighting in public conveniences. where many acts of vandalism occurred, the reserves committee said. The headmasters of both primary and post-primary schools would be advised of

the damage being caused to public property by vandals, and asked for their co-opera-tion, the council agreed If the penalties involving imprisonment were increased it would not serve much purpose, because most of the offenders were youthful and would not be sent to prison. Sljf? G. A. G. Connal. ine only way we can assist the cause is by hitting the pockets of the offenders. The maximum fine of £5O is far too low,”