WAMGANUI MURDER CASE

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1930, Page 9

WAMGANUI MURDER CASE

■ - I COMMUTATION OF SENTENCE.

MORE INFORMATION SOUGHT. 'uller information as to the reasons tor the sentence of death imposed on H. F. Manly for murder at . Wanganui being rediiced to a penalty of life imprisonment -was sought, by Mr. R. A. Wright (Reform— -Wellington Suburbs) when the Estimates of the Justice Department were Under ■ discussion in the House of Representatives last week. Mr. Wright said he knsw the Minister of Justice had already made a statement as'.‘to wliVthe sentence had been cop; milted, bnt tdr .him it appeared that some 6f the facte had been, unconsciously omitted. Was the recommendation to commute the sentence that of,' the Chief Justice? Were the grounds cufft-, dent to warrant ? Many people had pointed but it w*te a particularly "hard case' as' far-as the young woman wag Concerned. To him it seemed a particularly cruel' murder.: A member: AtpT premeditated.

Mr. Wright: Yes. The Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, said'a 16t of trouble had been .rone to in considering Manly’s case. He fiad read all. the evidence. through and the opinion of mental experts had been obtained.. The papers had again been gone through to some extent by Cabinet and had also been perused by the Governor-General. The Executive. Council was unanimously of Opinion that this was a case where an execution should not be ordered.

The Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates: Was there a Judge’s report? The Minister said the Judge had given a history of the case. Mr. Cobbe added that he was prepared to submit tlie whole, of the papers to any member interested and he felt that agreement would then be felt with the decision that in face of the evidence execution was not justifiable,