Deputation Pleads For Tait's Life

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29901, 15 August 1962, Page 15

Deputation Pleads For Tait's Life

(W ZP A.-Reuter—Copyright)

MELBOURNE. August 14 The State would take the ptace of a lynching party If it hanged the Scottish immigrant, Robert Peter Tait, the Anglican Coadjutor Bishop of Melbourne (the Rt. Rev. G. T. Sambell) told the Acting Premier of Victoria (Mr Arthur Rylah) today. Tait, aged 38. a former miner from Glasgow, was sentenced on December 8 last year to hang for the murder of M r s Ada Ethel Hall, aged 82. at the vicarage in suburban Hawthorn. For 45 minutes today. Mr Rylah listened with bowed head while a deputation of churchmen, unionists and penal reformers—pleaded not only for Tait's life, but an end to capital punishment in Victoria. They pleaded that Tait alone had been singled out from all the murderers of the last nine years for hanging, and that reform, not revenge, should be the essence of punishment. Mr Rylah heard their views and promised that they would

go before Cabinet and be considered very carefully. Then he added: "We are not unmindful of the community. We - have fresh in our minds tHe awful things that have happened following an unwise release of a prisoner who has committed an awful crime I will not name the specific case.” In all instances where Cabinet considered the death penalty, every possible reason for commuting the sentence was explored. Mr Rylah said. The murder of 81-year-old Mrs Ada Ethel Hall at the Hawthorn vicarage in August last year was the most brutal, horrible and violent he had ever known a* a Minister, as a lawyer, or that he had ever heard about. In the Tait case there appeared to be no reasons why the death sentence should be com* muted. Tait was due to hang on August 22, but has been granted one month's stay of execution. The Victorian Government will provide legal aid to enable Robert Peter Tait to appeal to the Privy Council in London against his conviction for murder.