WESTFIELD OUTRAGE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 36, 14 February 1929, Page 10

WESTFIELD OUTRAGE

LENIENCY OF SENTENCE

EDITORIAL PROTEST

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "Tho Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. In tlic course of an editorial under the caption "Mistaken Leniency," today's "Herald" says:—

"Public confidence in tho administration of the criminal law in this county receives a very damaging blow in tho leniency shown to tho perpetrators of tho Westfield outrage. Something was said by counsel for ono of the prisoners about 'Gilbertian touches' in the committing of the crime. Whatever may be thought about this flippant sort of plea, the sentence passed must bo regarded by all able to think seriously as a reduction of the criminal procedure to a' farce. "Tho fundamental purpose of tho criminal code is safety of tho community. Here was a clear instance of tho violation of that security. These men wero armed; they waylaid a passing motor-car and compelled acquiescenco in their criminal demands by threats; ii shot was actually fired when they found thoy wero afterwards being pursued. Not all the legal finesse in the world can obscure the plain implication of such facts. From the public point of view there was au outrageous assault on the community. Tho sentence of one year's reformative detention in this case is a poor assurance that in future our highways will bo safe from thoso criminally inclined.

"Mr. Justico Blair referred, it is true, to his duty to the public, and oxprossed doubt whether he was performing that duty. There should not be such uncertainty in tho administration of justice. Tho public interest must bo placed beforo tho consideration of offenders' pleas for leniency. Tho contrary view would deny tho social purposo in tho criminal law.'Of late there has been an apparent increase of lawlessness and crimes against lifo and pioporty havo been disquiotingly numerous. No improvement can bo expected unless tho administration of tho criminal codo be mado as strict as tho community rightly expects it should bo."