DEATH PENALTY DETERRENT TO MURDERERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 1 September 1942, Page 3

DEATH PENALTY

DETERRENT TO MURDERERS

WAIROA MAYOR’S COMMENT ! "1 cannot help referring to the mis guided abolition of the death penalty and corporal punishment in New Zealand." said the Mayor of Wairoa, Mr 11. L. Marker, in expressing the sympathy of the Wairoa district with the relatives of Hie victims of the Salvation Army Hall murders. “Murderers now have little or nothing to fear. "Is there not quite possibly a casual I connection between this double murder 1 and the aforesaid Act. passed with such | light-hearted abandon and with such a tragic want of due consideration?” Mr j Marker asked. "Beasts who perpetrate | crimes such as this can do so with ! virtual impunity, as they fear only pain I and death, both of which they are protected from by this tragic legislaI lion. What docs gaol mean lo them? In all probability a better home than ; they have been used to good food, j good warm clothing, a good, com forti able bed. all free or in return for the j little work they may be called on to jdo They have no reputation left to be j ! sullied bv a term of incarceration i "The penalty lor murder is gaol for I lile, but has this ever been carried ! out? What must those who are risking their lives in the defence of their country think of the position that a misguided Government has placed their wives and mothers in” "These are my personal views, and I ; speak to-night not from the point of i view of party politics, with which 1 ! most likely will be charged, but from .i realisation of the responsibility placed on me as Mayor lo sec that to the best of my ability the residents of the borough are given adequate protection ’ The Mayor, who was speaking at a meeting of the Borough Council, then moved: “That pending the passing of legislation authorising the death penalty for murder the Government be called on to provide adequate protection for the wives and mothers of those absent from home in the service of their country and of those persons whose age and state of health make them particularly vulnerable to attacks by human beasts." The motion was carried unanimously.