WAR DEATH PENALTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 253, 25 September 1939, Page 5

WAR DEATH PENALTY

MOVE FOR ABOLITION. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Sept, 23. The abolition of the death penalty for New Zealand troops on active service is being sought by the executive of the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association. The matter has already been taken up with the Government-, and the president (Mr J. W. Kendall) said that the Minister of Defence. (Hon. F. Jones) had informed him that the Government would give every consideration to the request. As old soldiers, said Mr Kendall the Auckland executive considered that the death penalty was unjust for what was after all a civilian and not a pro fessional army. If a man deserved punishment he should be given it but there was no call for execution In the last war, the Australian Forces ‘did not have a death, penalty, and it was considered by the executive that New Zealand should follow suit. Men could break down at the war through no fault of their own, hut while they might prove medically unfit for front trench work they could still be usefully employed at some work behind the lines. It was felt, therefore, that the death penalty should be removed, and that, if punishment was needed, some other form should be meted out and if a man had acted in a certain way through no fault of his own he should be treated as medically unfit for the job lie had been performing, and possibly given other work.