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NZ Truth, Issue 89, 2 March 1907, Page 1

Judge Theo. Cooper has by faint praise been damning the efficacy of the. Probation Act for first offenders. True enough, it is open to question whether such an act is likely to prevent the annual crop- of first offender?, not only m New Zealand but m Australia and such an Act requires to 1 be administered with great caution and circumspection. Never m the history of that Act was it so much used and afrused as when our Boer War heroes were returned. - All over Australasia it seemed that such a merciful instrument had been legalised far the special- benefit of • Cohen-'! tiniremters. Still the records • show 'that of those allowed probation the' percentage of backsliders is extremely' low, which means that first offenders have become useful crtizenSi