PROBLEM FOR JUDGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18547, 6 November 1934, Page 7

PROBLEM FOR JUDGE

SENTENCE OP DEFECTIVE ANOMALY IN THE ACT (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Difficulties in the way of dealing with a prisoner, resulting from what, he said, *eemed to him to be serious defects ii| the Mental Defectives Act, 1911, in its relation to the Crimes Act, were mentioned by the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, m the Supreme Court, when a Maori woman was placed in the dock for sentence on a charge of arson. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, tho Crown Prosecutor, said the woman was in the dock for sentence. Sir Michael Myers stated that he was told on Friday that she was not fit to come up for sentence, and to-day she W Evidence was given, by Dr. Williams, superintendent of Porirua Mental Hosj*m}, that the woman’s condition varied very quickly- ~ , , The Chief Justice said he did not think that the accused should be sent to prison, and admitted her to probation for 12 months, thus placing the responsibility for her welfare on the authorities.

Mr. Macassey said an application would be mpde for the wopian’s committal to a mental institution.

Sir Michael Myers remarked that it the woman was committable under the Mental Defectives Act, he had no power to commit her. As he had said, the responsibilty for her being looked after must tost with "the authorities.