ON PROBATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1924, Page 2

ON PROBATION.

CHANCE FOR 572 OFFENDERS. WEI. 1,1 NOTON. Sen. IS. During the past year 5, '2 i.llenders were admitted to probation, states Mr 0. E. .Matthews, C hief IVuhatinn Officer for the Dominion, in his report submitted li Parliament. In addition, forty-three* offenders were convicted and released on condition that they report at intervals to probation officers. The total under the Act was thus (>ls, the largest number dealt wilh since the passing of the Probation Act. Of tin’s number, 37!) were convicted for theft, whilst forty-live and thirty-four were sentenced for false pretences and breaking, entering and theft respectivelv.

The reports of the principal proha tion officers show that the ailministra lion of the Act has been carried in successfully, and that its benelicia

effects hoi nmo more apparent as each year passes. The percentage of failures has been small, only 5.11 of tihu.se granted the benefit of the Ail having broken the terms of probation. The saving to the community and the .State by th<» operation of the Act is shown by the fact that £7501 has been collected from probationers hv way of restitution to persons defrauded and hv way of Court eosts since the passing of the 1020 Act. Records show that in ]SB(j to 1020, a period of thirty-four years, the total collected amount is £10,817. This, says Mr .Matthews, is a useful illustration of the much wider scope of the later Act, and gives rise to the reflection that the principle of conditional liberty, combined with the obligation of restitution, might lie extended with advantage alike to the victim of the oficuee, the nfiendei and ttlie State, to more serious eases of fraud, embezzlement, etc.