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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.]

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