LIFE SENTENCES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 804, 14 September 1877, Page 3

LIFE SENTENCES.

—o— The Minister of Justice has had under consideration the cases of the life-sentenced prisoners now in gaol. The Penal Commission, in their report presented several years ago, recommended that these cases should he dealt with, hat ap to the present time no definite action has been taken. Recently Mr L. L. Smith, M.L.A., has again brought the subject forward, and the Minister of Justice has consented to press the question ■on the attention of his colleagues. It is intended, we believe, to adopt the plan of commuting the sentence of life to 20 years’ imprisonment in the case of those prisoners now in confinement. There are about 20 prisoners who would he affected by this change, the majority of whom were convicted of murder. The 20 years would count from the date of their incarceration, and under this plan these men would be released by twos and threes during the course of the next 10 or 15 years. Their ages at the time of release would range from 48 up to 80 years. If the Government agree to this course, there will ho one or two men released during the present year. It is further suggested that some allowance should he ma le for good conduct, and that in the cases of men who have received less than 12 marks for minor breaches of gaol discipline, two years shall be taken off the 20 years, and in the cases of those who have received over 12 marks for minor offences, the sentence shall be reduced by one year.— Australasian.