REFORMING CRIMINALS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13333, 23 March 1911, Page 2

REFORMING CRIMINALS.

REMARKS BY MR. 'JUSTICE CHAPMAN.

(Per United Press Association.)

GISBORNE, March 23. At the Chamber of Commerce banquet last night some interesting remarks on the difficulties of reforming criminals wciv made by Mr Justice Chapman. He said that so far as judges and magistrates were concerned they had really very little to do with the question They could only exercise the powers vested in them. If anyone would toll him how to reform a criminal he would thank him quickly enough. There were, however,-in Now Zealand, men connected with the administration of justice who, without professing to know how to reform those unfortunate people, wore really trying to solve the problem. Crime and its treatment had for many years been lo him a -very depressing thing. As a boy he had seen crowds of criminals marching between the Old Bailey and Newgate. They all looked like ruffians of various kinds. He used even then to wonder whether it was possible to do anything for them. AVas it really possible that they could be reformed? A great many people asked themselves the question, but none could answer the question save those who said “reform-” To this day there was the same problem, and it had not been properly answered, but there were earnest reoplo in this country who were really trying to answer this question, and trying to put their ideas into practice. He gave credit to the Hon. Dr. Findlay as being the first and foremost among them. This matter was a blot on civilisation. No other country had, however. done much better. lie did not say one could go far in the nature of the reform of hardened criminals, but it was possible to try to do something in the case of those who were in the building stage. They could see if something could not be done by making them work in a rational way. If something could be done in that way a great deal would have been achieved. Crime was, however, not a serious disturbing .factor in our daily life. As a matter of fact the criminality of thi“ country was trivial, but he felt, and all ought to feel naturally, that something more should be done to try to eradicate criminals, who are a standing disgrace on civilisation.