MISPLACED SEVERITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 218, 8 June 1908, Page 8

MISPLACED SEVERITY.

.-■■■■■ LETTERS OF PROTEST. . Sir, It,gave nie a very great shock upon reading in your paper this morning, in your sub-leader, of tho.shocking.travesty of 'justice at Invercargill, ' which is sUrely' ono of the most uncalled-for sentences 1 that - has ever been given by a; judge in this fair country of ours. _ I certainly think petition' should bo circulated at'once (which would ;be largely signed), and sent -to tho Minister for Justice,' asking for the man's immediate release.- / In the hope that you will start a collection for tho poor ' man's invalid -wife -and family .please find enclosed, one' pound, my raite' towards helping-, the poor woman 'to overcome her immediate troubles.—l, am, etc.. -/'.' HUMANITY. . June 5. .■ . . ~ [Before opening a subscription list as requested, we telegraphed to the Editor of the "Southland- Times" ' to ascertain tho financial circumstances of' tho family concerned. His reply stated that ■ they are without means, now - that- tho- breadwinner's power has been / stopped; .and that Railway employees,have decided to raise/contributions to assist them. We shall'be pleased to forward on any contributions received.]

Sirj—l read to-day with deep interest your able article aptly itemed "Misplaced Severity," in which a. young'man. with a delicate wife and'two . children, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for. falsifying a document' in conncction' with securing a position in the Railway Department, which, to my mind, practically amounts to a technical misdemeanour only; I consider that a gross miscarriage of justice has been tendered this young man. Pending Government action the people of this newly-created Dominion should rise in a body and resist such outrages, business 'and short petitions bo circulated at street corners at once to test the public vote to gefc his sentonco annulled. I venture to predict that the public verdict will be favourable to this man's discharge. Trusting that some abler pen than mine mil exert themselves on this unfortunate's; behalf.—l am,'"etc:, GEORGE WALL. ;•' June 5, 1908.' '

■ Sir,—The public arcs indebted to the Dojiinion for having entered an emphatic protest against the sentence of three months' imprisonment imposed by . Mr, Justice Dennistonupon a young man at Invercargill, who, to gain omployment that he might maintain a sickly wife and family, had stated that he bad passed the fifth standard at school, whereas ho had passed only the fourth. Surely, in a case such as this, the ends of justice would have' been met by a small fine, or the entering of a conviction alone. To stamp this man. as a gaol-bird, and to deprive him for three months from earning a livelihood = for himself and family, is an outrago. When we remember tho scores of people found guilty of serious offenccs who are liberated on' probation we might woll ask, in view of (the Invercargill case, if. such severe' punishment is ■ just. If tho Ministor for Justice fails-to do his duty in this case, the confidence of the public in the Department of Justice will bo severely shaken. We frequently hear of " Justices'' Justice." Had a J.P. imposed a sentence . of three months in this case there would have been a bowl, from one end of. the Dominion to tho other.—l am,,.etc., JUSTICE WITH MERCY. June 5.