THE DEATH PENALTY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4476, 10 July 1930, Page 1

THE DEATH PENALTY.

(To the Editor). Sir,—As the representative in New Zealand of the Society of Friends,, for the National Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty (of which a past Lord Chancellor of England, the Right Hon. Lord Buckmaster, is the noted president), may I be permitted to place before your readers the reason why Arthur Thomas Munn, now undergoing sentence of death, or any other man so placed, should not be called to suiter the extreme penalty of the law?

Now that the Munn ease has passed the high lest court of appeal in Noav Zealand, I take it that one can publicly discuss the death penalty. Ilium’s base now only rests on the elemenly of the Executive of the Government, to decide whether the sentence passed upon Munn shall be commuted to “life.” It seems to me that it would be well for the Executive to consider the real meaning of “hiatus,” which was used by the Chief Justice of New Zealand, Sir Michael Myers, in his conclusions as regards the evidence produced in the above. The word is significant of much doubt, meaning as it does “an opening,” “a gap,” “a space,” “from which something is wanted.” It is patent to the intelligent man in the street that “the something wanted” in the Munn ease is the absolute certainty that he committed the crime for which he has been sentenced to he hanged. 'Further, enlightened Governments are realising that the death penalty does not retard murder, hut rather insreases it. So much is this so, that 21 Governments, comprising 13 countries and eight States have altogether abolished it, whilst six other countries have made the death penalty obsolete by not using the power of their law. In 33 States of the American Union it is optional for judges to give a life sentence 'or the death penalty. They, the judges, have taken advantage of this in 75 per cent, of the convictions. There .are now only seven of the States of the 48 States of the Union who retain the death penalty absolutely. Again, from a psychological point of view, how does the death penalty affect the morale of a nation? It is we 11 known, from the King downwards (represented by Lord Bledisloe in New Zealand) that the preliminaries before the death penalty is canned out are most distressful performances. Everyone concerned would joyfully do without these barbarian duties. There are many records of officials brolkien down in health, sliding into melancholia, and in some cases committing: suicide,’ through being associated with those gruesome proceedings. 'Some people, without thought, imagine it is only the murderer who pays the penalty . when the trapdoor drops. But is it? Should we not consider the close relations, if lie hast any, who will hear the stigma of this mark of Cain until the day when they shall all have died? Is this fair? I think not.

•As..for..the general [public, they low, do not escape. For evidence of this, listen to the conversations re the present case, on the streets, in the trams, a;t the homes and elsewhere. Scratch civilisation ever so slightly and we find the worst of barbarism underneath.

Unfortunately, school children are especially affected by the carrying out of the death penalty. Psychologically studying schoolmasters tell ns that upon children it has a most unhealthy effect, in strange ways, both in body and (hind.

It is said in large towns, where the execution usually takes place, that a few minutes before the clock strikes, the fatal hour, an ominous silence pervades the schools. As soon as the striking of the clock ceases, and all is supposed to be over, the pupils wa|ke up to ask their teachers all sorts of peculiar questions. Their subjective minds have been wrongfully impressed —a national calamity to conscious minds of future citizens.

'ln conclusion, if the death sentence was done away with and a life sentence put in its place, would it not simplify all trials for murder? What a relief to the troubled minds of jury, judge, sheriff, chaplain and all. other persons eonerned. Would it not enable the participants to bring out a much clearer and just elaboration of the whole case? Lord Buckmaster, P.C., the onetime Lord Chancellor,, highest position of all judgeships in the British Empire, evidently thinks this wav. May our 'National Executive, now about to sit, in reverence, think the same AVay. ALFRED GREGORY, William Penn Branch, Brotherhood of Life. —Dargaville, July 3rd, 11)30.