THE WHITTA CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16434, 24 May 1921, Page 6

THE WHITTA CASE.

RESOLUTIONS BY COUNCIL’ OF CHURCHES. The Whitta eases were referred to at last night’s meeting of the Council ui Churches and two resolutions were passed, one protesting against the remission of the sentence on \\ Intta, junior; and the other deprecating the fact that a petition is being circulated praying for the release of S\ - 3 . The former resolution was moved by the Rev J. J. North, who said that as soon as it was announced that the sentence passed on W hitta junior by a Christchurch Magistrate had be Co remitted by Cabinet he laid comm unseated with the authorities athing that the reasons for this remission should he made public. There might be good reasons for Cabinet 1 s action, but he felt that unusual explanations would have to be given for such an unusual decision. Tins decision would tend to <h~cemr.age the police from taking ac..ion against the bookmakers and it would defeat the object of the rcc« te legislation. It was surely unique in the annals of the Dominion for Cabinet to revers* the dc ision of .ni gi rate. Mr North then submitted the following motion, which was parried m nlmously : “ the ( ou:u 1! i.f ( « -Probes regiets that it) < onne- tion with the remission o' tr.e sentence inflicted by a magistrate • Wliitta junior no sufficient public explanation ha* yet been forth • lining, m;;i ihat the council s re* quest tor one made more than three weeks ago has not been acceded to Tile council ro.-.p.-Lfuliv points out that such a remission will have a discouraging effect upon the police and on juries ; and, in view of the difficulty already experienced with the .Ac*, it is particularly to be regretted. The council holds that the public should be supplied with the full reasons that made a revision of sentence necessary, together with some explanation as to their non-representa-tion in Court.’’ The motion regarding the case of Whitta senior was moved by the Rev W. Ready, and it read as follows: “That this meeting desires to place on record its appreciation of the recent Act against bookmaking passed by the Government and the support of the Press in the effort to put down the evil of the bookmaker in this Dominion, and trusts they will also use their great influence in curtailing the totalisator’? permits. It considers the recent trial of the Whitta senior case to have been fairly ar.d righteously considered and the sentence passed to be just and reasonable in face of the crime committed. It therefore looks with disfavour on the methods adopted to secure signatures from the public for a remission of the sentence or any part thereof, and prays that the Government will not set aside the law’s penalty in this case.” Til speaking to the motion, Mr Ready referred to tlio support the Press was giving to the efforts to put down bookmaking. The other day be had read a sub-leader on the subject* in a local newspaper and it expressed his sentiments exactly. He had read the Press of the Dominion for about thirty .years now and he had done so with mingled feelings. At times the news papers had made him boil with indignation and at other times they had inspired him with feelings of hope, and pleasure. He would. like to see the Press use its great influence to limit the number of tote lisator permits. Regarding the Whitta petition, 31 r Ready said he had been asked to sign it, but he had refused most emphatically. Several people, who had signed it, were now saying that thev wished they had not. The sentence on Whitta had been duly and carefully considered and an attempt by any section of the people to override the law would undermine the very foundations of the country. The motion was seconded by the Rev G. K Ward. The Rev S. Dawry said ho thought the motion could be improved upon by an expression of appreciation of the Part that the law courts had played. They should t-rv to uoliold the hands of the law courts for the petition was an attempt to set aside legal machinery and substitute in its place popular clamour. He also thought their case would bo strengthened bv leaving out the reference to the totalisator. They could deal with the totalisators in a separate motion. The Rev J. J North said ho would be sorry to see the reference to the totalisator omitted. Thev should blow that trumpet whenever they could. Both were their enemies, and. whilst they wanted the bookmakers abolished, thev should not forget that their final object was to abolish the totalisator also, for bv its means the Government legalised th« vic« of "ambling. The Rev W . Ready : et The totalisator aivl the bookmakers are like Rinrneee twins. You can’t separate them.” Mr Ready added that whilst he was willing to have Ids motion remodelled lie honed thev would not leave out the reference to the totalisator. Thev should let it go forth that llvv wanted a curtailment of the totalisator permits. The motion as above was then nut to the. meeting and carried unanimously.