ABOLITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 32, 1 November 1929, Page 11

ABOLITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

MOTION IN HOUSE OR COMMONS QUESTION REFERRED TO SELECT COMMITTEE (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Rec. October 31, 8 p.m.) London, October 30. In the House of Commons, Mr. W. F. Brown moved that in the opinion of the House capital punishment should be abolished. He said that murder had decreased in countries which had abolished capital punishment. As far back as 1874 a committee of the whole House had passed a resolution in favour of the abolition of capital punishment. Captain Hacking (C.), in opposing the motion, said that only one Home Secretary had ever spoken against capital punishment. Without executions there would be from twenty to thirty murderers let loose on the community every year. Mr. J. R. Clynes (Lab.) said that if the motion was carried it would not carry them further. The Government would be disposed to act if an authoritative recommendation was made by a select committee. Mr. Samuel (C.) said he had been impressed by the Oscar Slater case, and there might have been others like it. He moved an amendment to appoint a select committee on the subject Mr. Brown accepted the amendment, which was carried without division.