DEATH PENALTY

Hokitika Guardian, 5 April 1930, Page 5

DEATH PENALTY

BITTER COMMONS DEBATE.

Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.]

LONDON, April 4

In the House of Commons, strong passions were aroused in committee on the Army Annual Bill arising from the Govornnicnt’s decision to drop the Army death penalty for cowardice and lor inducing others to partic.pate in acts of cowardice, but retaining it for mutiny and sedition. Hon Tom Slia-w (War Minister) admitted that in thus further limiting the death penalty he was acting against the advice of members of the Army Council. Tlie Conseva Lives proposed an amendment seeking to reintroduce the death penalty for inducing to acts of cowardice. This was rejected by 288 votes to 16-5, after an acrimonious discussion in which the Conservative Opposition demanded that the Attorney-General should give a legal opinion as whether inducing to cowardice amounted to mutiny, and was therefore punishable by death. The Attorney-General refused to give an opinion.

Mr Shaw expressed the opinion that the man who deliberately incited others to cowardice was gliilty of a ennm equivalent- to mutinj, and was, tlier«' fore, punishable by death. Mr Courthope moved an -amendment for retaining the death penalty for a man leaving his post or attempt ing to create a false alarm. This was declared carried amidst Ministerial protests that the question was not clearly understood. Mr Thurstle moved an 'amendment to abolish the death .penalty for desertion and to substitute penal servitude. This was carried by 219 votes to 135.