HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY

NZ Truth, Issue 973, 19 July 1924, Page 7

HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY

Is There A Blank Period ?j

If So, Should All be treated Alike?

Judging by the trend of things m a case which came before Magistrate Widdowson at the Christchurch Magistrate's Court this week, the tihie is coming when thieving will be regarded as something of a popular pastime. Not so very long ago people who systematically purloined property from shops were classed as thieves, -out through a gradual process of legal evolution, mental psychology was pushed into the argument, until that class of offender was made to come under the description of kleptomaniac. Thus it was that common thieving became known as shoplifting, and then m course of time shoplifting- was reduced to kleptomania. Now, m the continuity of this vicious circle, klep- j tomahia m its turn has been' made excusable on the ground that it is a quite natural function, and one which anybody, particularly a woman, is capable of performing during a certain period, of life* which induces mental irresponsibility. The case m question was that m which a middle-aged woman named Nellie Shann pleaded guilty to a lengthy list of thefts from ' Christchurch shops. She had been twice convicted for similar offences four years dgo. At Christchurch . the other day her counsel, Mi*. J. R. Cunningham,* said that there was no doubt .1 bout the" woman's defective mentality. She was doing more work than her strength warranted m looking after her home and that of her elderly mother. She had married twice, the second marriage taking place rather late m life, and two children resulting. She could not resist the impulses to lake things, arid many of the things she took were quite useless to her. JDoctor Louisson said that {he woman, although distinctly "mental," was on the border line, and not fit to be committed. It did not seem that she could resist the impulses to take things. She was at the most critical period of her life, which- would last for a year or two. • The woman's husband suggested that, he could arrange for her to be looked after by her eighteen-year-old daughter. * The Magistrate said it was a question whether the mental condition was an excuse or a reality. If it had not been for the condition deposed to by Dr. Louisson, he would have been inclined to inflict a severe term of imprisonment. The Probation Officer's report, however, coincided with the rriedical evidence, and accused .'. therefore would be given the benefit of the doubt, and would be released on pro- ! pation for three years, it being a special condition that steps be taken to see that she should not be left alone.