DEATH PENALTY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21853, 25 October 1945, Page 6

DEATH PENALTY

CASES OF MURDER REVIEW OF ABOLITION HAMILTON SUGGESTION j (P.A.) HAMILTON. Oct. 24. A suggestion that the grand jury should consider whether or not the abolition of the death penalty had resulted in an increase in cases of murder was made by Mr. Justice Fair in his address at the opening of the Supreme Court session in Hamilton to-day.

His Honour said there were many factors that might cause an increase in this grave crime, such as abject poverty, great mental strain, disreputable living, and an increase in lawless living. However, none of these factors seemed to have operated in New Zealand in the past seven or eight years, and if it was a fact that the grave crime of murder had shown a definite increase it was legitimate to consider whether the abolition of the death penalty had not been a major factor in causing this. His Honour suggested that the members of the grand jury as individuals should seek information, weigh the matter, and, if after consideration they felt able to form a definite view, they should express it in such a way as they thought fit. There were persons, he said, who considered that crimes deliberately planned and callously executed should be punished by the death penalty, but they were’ also of opinion that the severity of the punishment was a deterrent, consciously or unconsciously, to persons who might be inclined to commit the serious crime of murder through passion or anger. Capital punishment always made a deep impression on the community. Later, the foreman, Mr. H. D. Caro, said that the grand jury had considered the question of capital punishment. It recommended that the figures with regard to murders during the past seven or eight years should be made known and that a Royal Commission should be set up by the Government to review the position since capital punishment was abolished, as to the amount of serious crime in the Dominion within that period, and to consider the matter in the light of the comparative figures. His Honour said he would see that the recommendation was sent to the Attorney-General.