CRIMINAL REFORM.

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 March 1911, Page 5

CRIMINAL REFORM.

JUSTICE CHAPMAN’S VIEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

GISBORNE, This Day. At the Chamber of Commerce banquet last night Mr Justice Chapman said that so far as the judges and Magistrates were concerned they had very little to do with the question of the reform of cririunals. They would welcome any advice on the question. There were, however, men connected with the administration of Justice who, without profession, know how to refonn these unfortunates, were really trying to solve the problem of crime: Some had not yet answered the question whether it was possible to, reform criminals.

Justice Chapman gave credit to Dr Findlay as being the first and foremost among those who were really trying to answer the question. The whole matter was a blot on civilisation. He did not say one could go far is the matter of reform of hardened criminals, but it was possible to try to do something in the case of those who were in the budding stage. However, criminality in this country was a trivial factor, but it Avould be better if it could be eradicated, as criminals were a standing disgrace on civilisation.