THE CRIMES BILL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 891, 10 August 1910, Page 4

THE CRIMES BILL.

NOVEL PROPOSALS.' . Tho Crimes Act Amendment Bill, tho second reading of which was moved by Dr. Firidlay in the Council yesterday, provides that sontence for an indictable offence may include further reformative detention for any period not exceeding ten years. A sentence of over threo months' imprisonment' imposed by a magistrate may include further reformative detention for not moro than threo years. Every; prison shall bo deemed to bo-a reformatory prison. A prisons board is to bo constituted, consisting of from threo to five members;'one, a Supremo Court judge, and the others.permanent officers of tho public service. The members of tho board .shall. Disappointed from time to time- by tho Govcrnor-in-Council, and may at. any time be in like manner removed. Three members, inbludiiig d Supreme Court judge, shall be a quorum, and the Governor shall appoint a president. The appointment of necessary officers is also vested in tho Governor. It shall'bo the duty of tho board (1) to inquire from time, to time whether any subject of reforma--tivo detention is sufficiently reformed to bo released on probation or discharged; (2) to inquire whether fury person on probation should be discharged; (3) to make recommendations accordingly to the Governor; (4) at-least once a , year to.consider the-case of ovpry habitual criminal, habitual offender, or person under sentence of reformative detention with these objects; (5) to consider written applications for release, probation, or discharge, which, however, must not bo made within three months, of any case being considered by the- board,; and (6) to._ report annually to tho Minister regarding tho year's operations. Release on probation may bo granted either unconditionally or on such conditions as tho Governor -.thinks fit to r impose! Provision is mado for tho issue of probationary licenses ami for their ■ cancellation.

If any person so released on probation commits any breach of his probationnrj license ho will bo liable to a fine of £20 or imprisonment for three- months. If any person so released on probation is thereafter convicted and sentenced to imprisonment, and the Governor has, whether before or after that conviction, cancelled the probationary license, ho shall at the end of his U-rin of'imprisonment bo returned to gaol during the Governor's pleasure, providing that no person released on 'probation from reformative detention shall ho returned to prison under this section after the- expiry of his sentence of reformative "detention. • In'determining the date of expiry of any -sentence, of reformative detention every period during which any probationary license has been in force shall bo computed as part of tho period. A person may be declared a. habitual criminal notwithstanding a , previous declaration to , the same'effect. If any habitual criminal or offender or person under reformative detention is before tho determination of his sentence sentenced to any term of imprisonment for any other offence, the. period of his detention as a habitual offender shall not commence until the expiration of every sentence passed on him. The penalty ■ for illegally attempting to leave New Zealand while, out on probation is not to exceed seven years' hard labour. Persons detained as habitual lUriminals or habitual offenders or undergoing a sentence of. reformative detontion shall be employ'.'! at labour, and wages.according to scale shall be credited to him and appjiod wholly or in part towards maintaining' his ivjfo and children (if any). The balance standing to ihis credit when released shall be paid to him in a lump sum or by instalments as directed.- Every person who before the commencement of this Act has been declared a habitual criminal or offender shall he detained in a prison under tho Prisons Act, 1808, instead of in.a reformatory prison under the principal Act.