HOWARD LEAGUE

Southland Times, Issue 21072, 2 May 1930, Page 7

HOWARD LEAGUE

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

ABOLITION FAVOURED.

(Per United Press Association.)

Wellington, May 1

The Howard league this morning passed a resolution that capital punishment be abolished.

It was also decided to urge that legal aid, in both courts, be provided for indigent persons. Whether motorists convicted of manslaughter should be imprisoned with ordinary criminals was discussed. A remit was submitted declaring “That the whole question of punishments of motorists found guilty of offences under the Motor Vehicles Act, and in particular of manslaughter, be reviewed.” Mr F. A. De La Mare contended that a man imprisoned for manslaughter as the result of a motor accident was not a criminal in the ordinary sense of the term at all, and that to put such a man among the prison population was entirely wrong. Dr Staley referred to a case in which a motorist was drunk and killed an old woman and was fined £lOO. He was a jockey and the fine was paid by a racing club. Shortly afterwards a young man of good family was sent to prison for a year for killing a little girl while driving at more than 25 miles an hour down a road. Mr De La Mare contended that these were cases for classification.

Miss Baughan: In many cases the cause is drunkenness. It was decided to refer the remit back to the proposers for a definite case to be stated for discussion.

The following remits were passed: That for male inmates of Borstals we urge provision for grouping in separate houses under at matron and housemaster, thus allowing for definite classification; That each inmate be given a thorough training in some trade, chosen with one regard to natural aptitude since at present, too many leave the institutions unskilled with their special talents undeveloped and yet too old for apprenticeship; That after-care for ail Bortal inmates be provided on the efficient lines of the British Borstal institution; That the Crimes Act. be amended so as to safeguard every prisoner released on probation from having his license cancelled unless he has either violated any terms of his licenses or is charged with some other offence; That no one be admitted to the police force who has not passed the Junior Civil Service examination or a special examination of at least equal standing; That detectives should receive more adequate and specialist training for criminal investigation.