THE THIRD DEGREE

Evening Star, Issue 15268, 21 August 1913, Page 7

THE THIRD DEGREE

NOT IN FORCE IN NEW ZEALAND. Allegations against the police of "third degree" methods, made by counsel in a burglary case at the Supreme Court at Chnstchurch, gave Mr Justice Denniston an opening to make some remarks. His Honor said the conduct of the police in these cases had been described in Christchurch and other places as "third degrcs" methods. In America, where what wae known as the "third degree" was in operation, it was a. system of authoritative examination, accompanied by direct tor. ture, to compel accused persons to make statements. Nothing had occurred like that in New Zealand, and His Honor thought that if allegations of "third dogres' methods were publicly made in New Zealand, hostile papers and people in England, not knowing the true facts, would the methods out here with those appertaining in America. "JTiese hostile' papers would take the matter up in the. eamo way as they had done before. It was certainly a sound maxim for a police officer to keep his. mouth shut and his ears open, but that did not prevent Crown officers from taking any statement from an accused person if he voluntarily made it. Mr Justice Williams had said'that if a prisoner voluntarily choee to converse with a police officer on any matter he had a nght to doso. In conclusion, His Honor stated that if a jirisoner at any timei desired to make a statement, there was nothing to prevent a police officer from taking it, 50 long as he did not compel the to speak.