SERIOUS CRIME.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19198, 14 June 1924, Page 7

SERIOUS CRIME.

OFFENCES AGAINST MORALITY, HIGH PROPORTION OF NEW ZEALANDERS. (Per United Press Association.! AUCKLAND. June 13. ‘‘A remarkable feature of the number of prisoners in Mount Eden Gaol for gross offences against: morality is the high proportion of Now Zealand-born men, and young men at that,” said Dr Murray, medical officer for the Prison Department, in giving evidence before the Special Commission on Mental Defectives. A schedule of prison statistics presented by Dr Murray showed that out of 44 cases of prisoners serving from six months to a life term for sexual and unnatural offences, no fewer Ilian 23 were New Zealand-born, most of (hern comparatively young men Many of tile total number had served previous sentences for similar offences. One imui. 45 years of ago, who was serving six years, hart previously served terms of five ami seven years respectively, all for sexual offences. There were 12 cases of unnatural offences, and of these eight were New Zealand-born. The delinquents mostly had previous convictions for offences against decency. In a total of 44 offences the nationality of the prisoners was as follows: —Thirteen New Zealanders, two Irishmen, one Scotsman, nine Englishmen, six Australians, one Belgian, one Samoan, and one Chinaman. The Chairman (the Hon. W. H. Triggs): How do you account for the high proportion of New Zealanders? Is there any special reason? Dr Murray: Yes. It is largely because of the lack of parental control and homo restraint that really is the root cause of the depravity.