IS MAREO TO BE RELEASED?

Chronicle (Levin), 8 October 1947, Page 7

IS MAREO TO BE RELEASED?

PERTINENT QUESTION ASKED IN HOUSE WELLINGTON, Oct. 7. In reply to Mr. W. J. Broadfoot and Mr. R. M. Algie, the Minister of Justice, Mr. H. G. R. Mason, said in the I-Iouse of Eepresentatives tonight that he had noticed the naijie of Erie Mareo among the list of names containing Prisons Board recommendations. Mr. Broadfoot asked the Minister if he would tell the House if there was any specified time which a person cornvieted of a eapital offence, must serve. ' Mr. Mason said the mi'atter of releases of prisoners wds entirely at the discretion of the Prisons Board which considered sueh factors as conduet, industry, the degree of reclamation which it was considered had been achieved and the safety issue which would arise from setting the prisoner free. The board was experieneed in handling the cases of prisoners of all types and it acquired experienee in so doing. There was no law restrieting or restraining the board nor had there been any recent amendnient to the law amplifying its powers. Mr. Algie said the House was entit'led to know how long a man was to serve for a- eapital oft'ence or what was the minimuni before he could be set loose to have another go. Mr. Broadfoot asked if . any recommendation had been made to tlie Minister concerning Mareo. This man had had two trials and was convicted each tinui, on the second occasion without a recommendation to mercy which was given by the jury at the first trial, the case had been d'ismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeal, and three petitions to the llouse had been equally unsuecessful. Now it was reported in a weeklv newspaper that he was to be set free next year after serving twelve years. Had the Prisons Board made a report to the minister and, if so, what was the nature of the report, If sueh a reconiuiendation for release had been made it would almost appear as if some sinister infiuence had been at worlc all along to get this nian released. Mr. Mason said that, as AttornevGeneral, he must oliject to the use of the expression sinister influence where the chairnian of the board was, in i'act, a Judge of the Supreme Court, Bir Archibald Blair. • Mr. Carr, chairnian of coiuniittees upheld the objection. Mr. Broadfoot withdrew the word sinister and addcd tliat it did seeni tc him that soiue intluence had been al worlc. Mr. Magon said wliat the recomnien .dation was as to the date of release ot Mareo he coiild not say. He did uol look it up nor tutu up the man 's lilt but he had not the slightest reason to doubt that the Prisons Board had gone into each case niost tlioroughly. Mrs. Koss said it was not going to reassure the people, particularly women, who were verv concerned at present with cases^ occasioning mucli public coucern, if there were discussions on how long a person convicted of a eapital offenee slfould stay in gaol. The cases confrouting tjheni today were clisturbing everyone and there shouid be the 'closest exaininlvtion before any releases of prisoiiers-coiivicted of seriou.offences v.ere niadl; 'without tliem hav ing served the terms imposed.