CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
Sir, —The Farmers’ Union Conference are to be congratulated upon once again coming into the breech and taking a firm stand, not only O-i the question of capital punishment now so much discussed; but also the question of corporal punishment which has fallen into the discard in this soft age. May I suggest that other organisations follow the farmers and whip up some enthusiasm for this time-honoured and salutary custom. The most uncivic crimes which are committed today are on the increase and I would suggest the following scale of punishments: Exceeding Price Tribunal prices 30 lashes, Income tax evasion 25 lashes, Land Sales evasion 24 lashes, Drunk in charge 20 lashes, Unlawfully on licensed premises 15 lashes, Negligent driving 10 lashes. Minor- misdemeanours such as bookmaking and wife beating could be met with fines or probation, because the referendum authorised bookmaking and wife beating in itself is a form of corporal punishment very frequently quite justified.
The reintroduction of flogging will of course introduce some new problems. For' instance, who is going to do the flogging? The school teachers are only partially qualified and the police are both shorthanded and completely unqualified anyway.
This scribe contends that fines and jail sentences have not curtailed crime but that flogging, if done thoroughly, will. That raises another question—a man capable of income tax evasion is quite capable of bribing the flogger to lay it on lightly, and rigid supervision would need to be exercised to see that in every case the cat o’ nine tails was properly pickled in salt water as per ancient custom, and that it' was laid on willingly, raising a proper weal with every stroke by a strong arm. Of course we know that the Government would soon run to a group of new Inspectors to be called Controllers of Corporal Punishment or some other high sounding title and complete also with high powered motor vehicles.
To avoid this unnecessary expense local volunteers could be invited to supervise the flogging. Pride of place must go to the President of the Farmers Federation for the honour, but the Mayor and the Clergy should be privileged to take turn about as could the local Member of Parliament during the time that the house was not in session. The courageous action of the Farmers’ Federation, if it can result in a few gruesome hangings and some well deserved floggings, will usher in an era of respect for the law which we have not seen for years. The Russians and Germans report that they have secured excellent results with the same methods. Thanks again to our farmer friends. Yours etc., LAY IT ON.
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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 20, 3 August 1949, Page 4
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444CORPORAL PUNISHMENT Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 20, 3 August 1949, Page 4
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