THE DEATH PENALTY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3873, 20 November 1928, Page 1

THE DEATH PENALTY.

An earnest appeal for an examination of the necessity of the death penalty was made recently by Sir Herbert Samuei who, as Home Secretary in 1916 and High Commissioner for Palestine from 1920 to 1925, was himself called upon to make the final decision in many cases involving “the most painful duty that men can ever be called upon to perform.” After examining several aspects of the question, he says: —“The only point that demands serious consideration is this —is it, or is it not, the fact that the existence of capital punishment prevents murders? Is it, or is it not, probable that if that penalty were abolished murders would increase? Upon the answer to that question nlost men and women will be inclined, I think, to let their attitude depend. Now, here we are not left in the realm o_f conjecture. We have the experience of several other countries as a guide. The three Scandinavian countries and Belgium and Holland abolished capital punishment long ago. So have live other States in Europe up & nine in Central and Southern America. Of the United States of America eight have followed the same course. The experience of these countries is that there has been no tendency for the abolition of the death penalty to be followed by an increase in murderous crime; in several cases there has been a marked decrease. It would not be necessary in the first instance to abolish the death penalty by law. The House of Commons might pass a resolution desiring the Home Secretary to reprieve in all cases of death sentences. (About one-half are reprieved already). It copld then be seen, over a period of years, whether in fact any unsatisfactory results followed. If they did, the resolution could be repealed aud the present practice restored. If they did not the further step could be taken aud the penalty abolished by law.”