GAOL BY DEFAULT

Evening Star, Issue 22462, 6 October 1936, Page 8

GAOL BY DEFAULT

AUTOMATIC COMMITTAL fO BE ABOLISHED LEGISLATION PREPARING [From Oub Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 6. Legislation is in course of preparation with a view to making better provision for tho payment of fines, and diminishing the number of eases where persons are sent to gaol when it was not in the first instance intended by the court to inflict sentences of imprisonment, according to a statement made to-day by the Minister of Justice, Mr Mason. The Minister said he regarded the matter as being of great importance, and every effort would be made to have a Bill passed this session, although it was impossible for him to be definite on that point. The Bill, ho said, would be on similar lines to the Money Payments (Justices Procedure) Act passed by tlio Imperial Parliament last year. The effect of it would be that no person would be automatically committed to prison for non-payment of a fine, but committal would only take place after every effort had been made to secure payment of the, fine, and every consideration given to the offender’s capacity to pay. “ As a result of the legislation passed in England, it is claimed that the amount of imprisonment can he substantially reduced. The general principle underlying the Act is that the grave step of sending a defaulter to prison should only be taken as the result of the considered decision of justices, and that, with certain exceptions, this decision shall only be taken after an inquiry as to the means of the defaulter. Imprisonment as an “ automatic ” sequel to default will largely disappear.”