SERIOUS OFFENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 198, 23 July 1941, Page 8

SERIOUS OFFENCE

JUDGE’S OBSERVATIONS. WELLINGTON, July 23. Sentencing Bernard Mcrvyn Godfrey Staples, labourer, aged 24, to two months’ imprisonment for attempting to supply a noxious tiling with intent to procure a certain result, Mr Justice Blair remarked in the Supreme Court, yesterday, on the frequency of that kind of offence and the complacency with which it was regarded by some. Prisoner' had pleaded guilty in the Dlagistrate’s Court, Wellington, last week. “This easo has given mo a great deal of worry because it is of a kind that is unfortunately common,” said His Honour. “1 think any Judge will agree with me that the evidence we get in the Courts makes it abundantly plain that this matter is unfortunately very, very common. Apparently eveu educated people consider that the murdering of a child before it is born docs not carry the stigma or horror that the murder of a child after it is born engenders throughout the whole community People look on tlie procuring of this as something that can be successfully done, and people can go to the lengths of boasting about it.” Prisoner was one of those who bad been found out. He would be failing in bis duty as a Judge if he were to say [he crime could be met with a term if probation. Prisoner’s record was perfectly clear, as was generally the ase with people who committed the jffoncc and never did it again. He was sorry for prisoner, but if he jxteuded probation to him there would lot be afsingle case in which he would lot have to grant probation. But for special features of the case lie would lave considered imposing a term of at east a year. The maximum for tbo offence was two years: