JOINT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BILL COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE) (Mr. C. G. E. HARKER, Chairman)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1950 Session I, I-17

1

1950 N W ZEALAND

JOINT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BILL COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE) (Mr. C. G. E. HARKER, Chairman)

Laid upon the Table of the House of Representatives

ORDERS OF REFERENCE Exctracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives Friday, the 18th Day op August, 1950 Ordered, " That the Capital Punishment Bill be referred to the Joint Capital Punishment Bill Committee."—(Hon. Mr. Webb.) Thursday, the 24th Day op August, 1950 Ordered, " That a Select Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, to consider the Capital Punishment Bill and other matters relating thereto which may be referred to it, the Committee to have power to sit together and confer with any similar Committee to be appointed by the Legislative Council and to agree to a joint or separate report, the proceedings of the Committee during the taking of evidence to be open to the public and to accredited representatives of the press: the Committee to consist of Mr. Combs, Mr. Hackett, Mr. Hanan, Mr. Harker, Mr. Kent, the Hon. Mr. Marshall, the Hon. Mr. Mason, Mr. Murdoch, Mr. Neale, and the Mover."—(Hon. Mr. Webb.) Extract from the Journals of the Legislative Council Friday, the 25th Day of August, 1950 Ordered, " That a Select Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, to consider the Capital Punishment Bill and other matters relating thereto which may be referred to it, the Committee to have power to sit together and confer with a similar Committee of the House of Representatives and to agree to a joint or separate report: the Committee to consist of the Hon. Miss Anderson, the Hon. Mr. Bloodworth, the Hon. Mr. Endean, the Hon. Mr. Mackley, the Hon. Dr. Mazengarb, the Hon. Sir William Perry, the Hon. Mr. Thompson, the Hon. Mrs. Weston, the Hon. Mr. White, and the Hon. Mr. Wilson." —(Hon. Mr. Polson.) Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives Wednesday, the 30th Day of August, 1950 Ordered, " That the names of Mr. Combs and Mr. Neale be discharged from the Capital Punishment Bill Committee, and those of Miss Howard and the Hon. Mrs. Ross substituted therefor."—(Right Hon.* Mr. Holland, for the Hon. Mr. Webb.) Tuesday, the 19th Day of September, 1950 Ordered, " That the Joint Capital Punishment Bill Committee have leave to sit on days on which the House is not sitting."—(Mr. Harker.) Wednesday, the 4th Day op October, 1950 Ordered, " That the Joint Capital Punishment Bill Committee have leave to sit during the present sitting of the House."—(Mr. Harker.)

I—Jb7

REPORTS Capital Punishment Bill I have the honour to report that the Joint Capital Punishment Bill Committee has carefully considered the Capital Punishment Bill and taken evidence thereon publicly, and recommends that it be allowed to proceed, subject to the amendments shown in clause 3 of the copy attached hereto, and, further, that sections 4 to 6 be deleted as inappropriate in a Capital Punishment Bill and that they be referred to the Government for consideration with a view to provision being made which will enable the trial of a woman for an offence under the circumstances set out in these sections, for an offence other than murder or manslaughter, and also to entitle the jury to find any woman so charged not guilty on account of her mental condition at the time of the commission of the act. C, G. E. Harker, Chairman. 2nd November, 1950.

Petition No. 27 —L. Efford, President of the New Zealand Howard League for Penal Reform, and Others Praying that a Commission of Inquiry be set up to gather information and make a thorough and searching public examination of the available evidence, scientific knowledge, and other relevant factors before the Capital Punishment Bill is proceeded with. I am directed to report that in so far as it affects the question of capital punishment, the prayer of the petition has been met and the Committee therefore has no recommendation to make. The further question of corporal punishment referred to in the petition has been deferred. T. Clifton Webb, for Chairman. 2nd November, 1950.

Special Report I have the honour to report that at its final meeting the Joint Capital Punishment Bill Committee unanimously passed the following resolution : " That this Committee desires to record its high appreciation of the valuable services rendered to the Committee by its Chairman, Mr. Harker, who sat continuously through long sittings and extended courtesy and help to the many witnesses who appeared before the Committee, and, further, that this resolution be reported to the House." T. Clifton Webb, A Member of the Committee. 2nd November, 1950. Approximate Co*t of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (396 copies), £4.

By Authority: R. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington. —1951.

Price 3d.]

2