THE TIMARU MURDERER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17723, 7 March 1921, Page 6

THE TIMARU MURDERER.

IMPRISONMENT/ FOR LIFE.

DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday.

At a meeting of the Executive Council held in Christchurch this morning it was decided that the death sentence passed upon Reginald Matthews, the Tima'ru murderer, be commuted to imprisonment for lifeL The meeting was attended #y the Governor-General, the Hons. E. P. Lee and W. D. Nosworthy. The following statement was made after the meeting by the Hon. B. P. Lee:—"Commutation of the sentence does not cast any reflection on the verdict of the jury. In all these cases the Crown has to decide whether tb6 prerogative of mercy shall be exercised, and in this particular case, after consideration of medical reports and the family history and low mentality of the convicted man, the Governor-Gerieral, on the advice of the Executive Council, commuted the sentence to imprisonment fur Ufa."

The Hon. E. P. Lee thinks that Matthews will go completely insane, and die in a comparatively few yearn Matthe-.vs will not be treated as a lunatic, and will be sent to an ordinary prison. From the beginning Matthews never realised the consequences of his act. It did not necessarily follow that he would ever be released. He was a man who should never be let loose on society.