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Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1935, Page 4

His view of capital punishment was given by the Bishop of Durham, Dr H. Hensley Henson, speaking at the annual meeting of the Durham Discharged Prisioners’ Aid Society. He said that in this ease there was no question of reforming the criminal, who was put out of the way of potential reformation by the cruel and decisive machinery of death. Capital punishment seemd to he defensible if it was, a s was generally the ease in civilised communities, limited to two .crimes—treason and wilful murder. Capital punishment was the only punishment which really matched the crime of murder. Murder stood in a class apart from other crimes because it implied a. violation of the primary condition under which man lived in society—that they should tolerate u..~ another. The sanctity of human I'ke was of such supreme public concern that it must be conspicuously designated as something which hitmens must respect. The interests ol society cictv before all other consideration*, and in that case he did not think that they could claim that the interests of the murderer should be considered. The interest of society was decisive. The Tpiestion arose whether capital punishment had proved itclf an' effective deterrent to crime. lie thought that their English experience showed that it had. Promptitude in judicial action and certainty that the verdict would be carried into effect were necessary conditions of success. The woeful curse of the United States was a standing monument of warning against delay and uncertainty.