NON-PAYMENT OF FINES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22543, 7 October 1936, Page 15

NON-PAYMENT OF FINES

LAW TO BE AMENDED NO AUTOMATIC IMPRISONMENT [BT TELEGBArH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Legislation is being prepared with a view to making better provision for the payment of fines, and diminishing the number of casfs where persons are sent to gaol, when it was not in the first instance intended by the Court to inflict sentences of imprisonment, according to a statenfent by the Minister of Justice, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, to-day. The Minister said every effort would be made to have the bill passed this session. The bill would be on similar lines to the Money Payments (Justices Prooedure) Act passed by the British Parliament last year. The effect of it would be that no person would bo automatically committed to prison for the non-payment of a fine, but committal would take place only after every | effort had been made to secure payment of the fine and every consideration given to the offender's capacity to pay. "As a result of the legislation passed in England, it is claimed that the amount of imprisonment can be substantially reduced," said Mr. Mason. "The general principle underlying the Act is that the grave step of sending a defaulter to prison should only be taken as, a result of the considered decision of justices, and that, with certain exceptions, this decision shall only be taken after an inquiry as to the means of the defaulter. Imprisonment as an 'automatic' sequel to default will largely disappear."