A SENSIBLE DECISION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10402, 16 July 1912, Page 5

A SENSIBLE DECISION.

Per Press Association Wellington, July 16. A case in which was involved the question of the class of offence in which probation may be granted came before Mr Justice Cooper at the Supreme Court to-day. A young man, aged 19, Joseph Shaaley. who had pleaded guilty at Wanganui to a charge of arson by setting fire to a haystack, was placed in the dock for sentence. Justice Ooocer said he had consulted other Judges, who agreed with him In the opinion he had expressed at Wanganni that it was not a case for probation. Prisoner was of somewhat weak intellect, but he knew the difference between right and wrong. Where a prisoner had deliberately set fire to another person and did bo v out of the motive of revenge it was not in the interests of the public that that person should be allowed liberty without some period of disolipiinsry treatment. Prisoner was committed to Invercargill prison for disciplinary treatment and reformatory purposes for a period not exceeding three years. £